The Florida Strawberry Festival returns to Plant City from Thursday, March 4, through Sunday, March 14, 2027. It is an 11-day celebration, not a single-ticket concert event, so the first thing to understand is that gate admission, rides and reserved headline-concert seats are separate purchases.
How admission tickets work
Regular gate admission for 2027 is $15 for adults ages 13 and up, $5 for children ages 6-12, and free for children 5 and younger when accompanied by a paying adult. Gate admission covers the Festival grounds, exhibits, livestock shows, arts and crafts vendors, competitions and the free entertainment around the property. It does not cover Midway rides, the Berry Big Wheel or a reserved seat for a headline concert.
There is a useful advance-purchase option: participating Publix stores in Central Florida are scheduled to sell discounted admission from February 1 through March 14. Those prices are $10 for adults and $4 for children ages 6-12. If you know your visit date, buying admission before you arrive can save a few dollars and makes the entry process easier.
Concert tickets: the important two-ticket rule
A reserved ticket for a Florida Strawberry Festival headline concert is not your ticket through the gate. Concertgoers need both a gate-admission ticket and a separately purchased reserved concert seat for that day. The 2027 headline lineup is expected to be announced in mid-November, with concert tickets scheduled to go on sale December 10, 2026.
When tickets are released, shoppers can use the Festival’s online ticketing option, app, phone service or the Amscot Ticket Office at 2209 W. Oak Ave. The Festival’s box office also sells remaining concert seats during the event. Tickets ordered after February 14, 2027, are held for Will Call at the box office under the GT Grandstands; bring a valid photo ID. Headline-concert tickets are generally nonrefundable and nonexchangeable, so double-check the performer, performance date and seat location before purchasing. Children age 2 and under may sit on a lap without a concert ticket; ages 3 and up need their own seat. The concert venue is open-air and uncovered, so plan for Florida sun, a passing shower or a cool spring evening.
Parking and the lots with tram service
Official Festival lots are expected to open at 9 a.m.. The posted rate is $10 for official lots, cash only, with a $20 charge for vehicles longer than 20 feet. Keep your parking receipt and remember where you parked: leaving and returning means paying again. Independent lots around the grounds set their own terms.
For visitors who would rather skip the longest walk, the current parking guidance identifies these tram routes:
- Red and Gray lots: daily tram service to Gates 10 and 14.
- Yellow, Green and Orange lots: tram service to the Festival’s main office on BerryFest Place, convenient for Gate 5 and Gate 1.
Accessible parking is available in the Red Lot near Gate 14 and across from Gate 1 on West Oak Avenue, both listed at $10. Parking routes and tram operations can change with traffic plans, so check the Festival map and current parking FAQ shortly before leaving home.
Best 2027 Festival days, by travel style
- For seniors: Thursday, March 4, or Thursday, March 11. Guests age 60 and older receive $10 gate admission, and both dates have Ride-A-Thon pricing that can bring most Midway rides to $20 with the on-site voucher.
- For families with school-age children: Saturday, March 6, is Credit Union Free Kids Day, when kids through high-school age can receive a complimentary admission voucher. Tuesday, March 9, is also a standout: kids through age 17 enter free with a paid adult, and single rides are $2 or an all-day wristband is $25.
- For military, first responders and health-care professionals: Wednesday, March 10, is American Heroes Day, with free admission for active, reserve and retired military veterans, law enforcement, first responders and health-care professionals with valid ID.
- For parade fans: Monday, March 8, brings the Grand Parade through downtown Plant City and toward the Festival grounds at about 2 p.m. It is a fun local-tradition day, but build in extra driving time around the route.
- For late-night riders: Friday, March 12, has Moonlight Magic from 10 p.m. to 2 a.m.; a $30 wristband covers Midway entry and rides during that late window, with no gate admission ticket required.
Practical takeaway: Arrive near opening if your priority is food, exhibits and a less rushed first lap around the grounds; save the Midway for the special day that best fits your group, and confirm final ticket, parking and tram details before you go.
