What the Florida Strawberry Festival Is
The Florida Strawberry Festival is an eleven-day festival in Plant City, March 4-14, 2027, at the festival grounds, 303 BerryFest Place, Plant City, FL 33563. Alongside concerts and the midway, it runs a full slate of youth livestock shows where Hillsborough County 4-H and FFA members exhibit the animals and plants they have raised for months, sometimes years.
Youth Livestock Schedule
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| Thu, Mar 4, 6 p.m. | Mosaic Youth Swine Show |
| Fri, Mar 5 | Dairy Judging Contest (1 p.m.); Youth Swine Sale (6 p.m.) |
| Sat, Mar 6 | Dairy Showmanship (11 a.m.); Dairy Show (1 p.m.) |
| Sun, Mar 7 | Dairy Showmanship, Adults (11 a.m.) and Pee Wee (11:30 a.m.); Dairy Costume Ball (12:30 p.m.); Youth Plant Silent Auction (11 a.m.-1 p.m.); Youth Plant Sale (2 p.m.) |
| Mon, Mar 8 | Lamb Jumping Contest (3 p.m.); Lamb Costume Contest (7 p.m.) |
| Tue, Mar 9 | Lamb Showmanship (3 p.m.) and Lamb Show (6 p.m.) |
| Wed, Mar 10, 6 p.m. | Mosaic Youth Steer Show |
| Thu, Mar 11, 6 p.m. | Mosaic Youth Steer Sale |
| Fri, Mar 12, 6 p.m. | Steer Showmanship |
| Sat, Mar 13 | Livestock Judging (10 a.m., registration 9 a.m.); Beef Breeds Showmanship (6 p.m.) |
| Sun, Mar 14, 11 a.m. | Beef Breeds Show |
Mosaic Poultry and Rabbit exhibits are open daily from 10 a.m. to 11 p.m.
Who Can Enter: Steer Show
- Grades 7-12, and a bona fide Hillsborough County youth agricultural organization or FFA member active in 4-H, FFA or YPLA for 2026-2027. Non-residents may not exhibit.
- Actively enrolled for 2026-2027 and not graduating before January 31, 2027; single and never a parent.
- 2.0 GPA for the preceding school year; failing two or more subjects in the preceding semester disqualifies. IEP and 504 accommodations are recognized.
- One steer per exhibitor. Exhibitors cannot show in both the Steer Show and the Swine Show in the same year, and anyone who has shown a Grand Champion twice is ineligible.
- Ethics training is required; the festival session was December 5, 2026.
Steer timeline
- Online entry through ShowWorks by August 6, 2026
- Initial weigh-in Saturday, September 12, 2026, 6:30-11 a.m.; steers 550-1,000 pounds, ear tagged and sonogrammed
- Minimum gain of 1.75 pounds per day; final weigh-in March 9, 2027 with a 900-pound minimum
- Record book due at final entry on March 9
- Show March 10 and sale March 11, both at 6 p.m.
Who Can Enter: Swine Show
Exhibitors must be Hillsborough County FFA, YLPA or 4-H members, 8 years old by January 1, 2027, through 12th grade, with the project housed in Hillsborough County east of Interstate 75. The 2.0 GPA rule applies. Hogs must weigh over 200 pounds and meet USDA No. 2 market quality. Entries were due Thursday, September 3, 2026, at 4:00 p.m.; exhibitors must send letters to at least five potential buyers a week before the show.
Premiums and Awards
For both steers and swine, Grand Champion earns $300, a trophy and a rosette, and Reserve Grand Champion $225. Class champions earn $25, second $20, and third and below $15. Record Book, Showmanship and Herdsman awards pay $30, $20 and $15 in each of the Senior, Intermediate and Junior divisions, and the Premier Exhibitor in each division earns a $100 trophy. Steer extras include Gain-in-Weight awards ($50 down to $20) and a Carcass Contest ($100 for Grand Champion Carcass). Sale deductions on steers are up to 6 percent plus $1 for the Beef Check-Off. Seniors can apply for the Florida Strawberry Festival Livestock Scholarship. The Livestock Banquet is April 27, 2027, at 6 p.m. in the Patterson Companies Livestock Arena.
Rules in the Ring
Official dress is required and hats, caps and decorations are not allowed in the ring. Animals are serviced only between 6:00 and 9:30 a.m., and exhibitors may not stay overnight on the grounds. Profanity in the ring can bring a $250 fine or disqualification.
Questions
Can I enter if I live outside Hillsborough County?
No. Non-residents may not exhibit, and swine must be housed east of I-75.
Who do I call?
The festival Administrative Building is 813-752-9194. The Ticket Office is 813-754-1996. The Steer Show chairman is Jon Poppell, (813) 716-5290.
When do exhibitors get paid?
Steer checks are paid after the buyer's thank-you letter arrives (due April 1), targeting release by May 31. Swine money is dispersed by June 1 if possible.
Official Links
- Youth Livestock Shows
- 2027 Steer Rules
- 2027 Swine Rules and Regulations
- Map and schedule of events
- Florida Strawberry Festival
Other Upcoming Events Nearby
- Florida State Fair
Twelve-day state fair at the Tampa fairgrounds, with livestock shows, 4-H and FFA judging contests and open exhibits. Held each year; the next run is February 4-15, 2027, after February 5-16, 2026.
- Florida Strawberry Festival Youth Livestock Shows
Youth swine, dairy, lamb and beef steer shows and sales, plus livestock judging, at the Plant City festival grounds. Next run Mar 4-14, 2027, with swine opening Mar 4.
- Florida 4-H State Dairy Show
State 4-H dairy cattle show for youth in the dairy project, free to enter, with registration open February 1 to March 18, 2027. The next show is April 1-3, 2027.
- Produce Safety Alliance Grower Training at Gulf Coast REC
Full-day food safety training for produce growers at the Gulf Coast center in Wimauma, with a $40 fee. Held each year; the most recent date was April 28, 2026.
14625 Co. Rd. 672, Wimauma, FL 33598 | 813-634-0000 | Organizer: UF/IFAS Official event details - Greater Jacksonville Agricultural Fair
The 71st Greater Jacksonville Agricultural Fair moved to a new fairgrounds with an Agriculture Barn and competitions in agriculture, horticulture and culinary arts. Held each year; the most recent dates were November 5-15, 2026.
13601 Normandy Boulevard, Jacksonville, FL 32221 | Organizer: Greater Jacksonville Agricultural Fair Official event details
Listing checked Nov. 11, 2026 against this source. Details can change; confirm with the organizer.