Florida Strawberry Festival announces entertainment lineup<\/p>\n
PLANT CITY \u2014 The Florida Strawberry Festival recently released its lineup of musical artists performing on the Wish Farms Soundstage at the 2026 event.<\/p>\n
“As we unveil our headline entertainment for BerryFest26, I couldn’t be more proud to share this year’s theme \u2018Still Growing,’ which perfectly reflects both our community’s spirit and the festival’s continued evolution,” said Florida Strawberry Festival President Kyle Robinson. “We’re honored to welcome an incredible lineup of artists, including Forrest Frank, Alabama, Riley Green, Dierks Bentley, Ty Myers, Lonestar, and many more, whose talent and energy will light up our stage. Each year, the Festival grows in excitement, tradition, and connection, and 2026 is shaping up to be our best celebration yet. From the fields to the fairgrounds, our roots run deep and we can’t wait to share this unforgettable experience with you.\u201d<\/p>\n
The entertainment lineup is as follows:<\/p>\n
Thursday, Feb. 26<\/p>\n
10:30 a.m. \u2014 Jimmy Sturr & His Orchestra<\/p>\n
3:30 p.m. \u2014 The Oak Ridge Boys<\/p>\n
7:30 p.m. \u2014 Alabama<\/p>\n
Friday, Feb. 27<\/p>\n
3:30 p.m. \u2014 Jo Dee Messina<\/p>\n
7:30 p.m. \u2014 Jamey Johnson<\/p>\n
Saturday, Feb. 28<\/p>\n
3:30 p.m. \u2014 Lonestar<\/p>\n
7:30 p.m. \u2014 Ty Myers<\/p>\n
Sunday, March 1<\/p>\n
6:30 p.m. \u2014 Riley Green featuring Hannah McFarland<\/p>\n
Monday, March 2<\/p>\n
3:30 p.m. \u2014 Gene Watson<\/p>\n
7:30 p.m. \u2014 To be announced<\/p>\n
Tuesday, March 3<\/p>\n
3:30 p.m. \u2014 Sandi Patty<\/p>\n
7:30 p.m. \u2014 Lauren Daigle<\/p>\n
Wednesday, March 4<\/p>\n
3:30 p.m. \u2014 John Foster<\/p>\n
7:30 p.m. \u2014 Brantley Gilbert<\/p>\n
Thursday, March 5<\/p>\n
10:30 a.m. \u2014 Bill Haley Jr. & The Comets<\/p>\n
3:30 p.m. \u2014 The Bellamy Brothers<\/p>\n
7:30 p.m. \u2014 Dierks Bentley<\/p>\n
Friday, March 6<\/p>\n
3:30 p.m. \u2014 The Marshall Tucker Band<\/p>\n
7:30 p.m. \u2014 Forrest Frank<\/p>\n
Saturday, March 7<\/p>\n
3:30 p.m. \u2014 To be announced<\/p>\n
7:30 p.m. \u2014 The Offspring<\/p>\n
Sunday, March 8<\/p>\n
7:30 p.m. \u2014 To be announced<\/p>\n
Advance tickets for gate admission and headline entertainment shows will go on sale Thursday, Dec. 11, at 8 a.m. at the Amscot main ticket office at 2209 W. Oak Ave., Plant City. Visit https:\/\/flstrawberryfestival.com<\/a> or call 813-754-1996.<\/p>\n The Florida Strawberry Festival is an 11-day community event celebrating the strawberry harvest of Eastern Hillsborough County. Each year, over 600,000 visitors enjoy the festival’s headline entertainment, youth livestock shows, exhibits of commerce and, of course, its strawberry shortcake. The 91st annual Florida Strawberry Festival will run from Feb. 26 through March 8.<\/p>\n ArtJones Open Artist Studio Tour set<\/p>\n GULFPORT \u2014 The ninth annual ArtJones Open Artist Studio Tour will take place on Saturday, Dec. 6, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; and Sunday, Dec. 7, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.<\/p>\n This year, the tour features 23 talented artists across nine locations in Gulfport. Visitors will have the opportunity to meet the participating artists in person and learn more about their creative processes at each location on the tour.<\/p>\n Since its inception in 2017, the ArtJones Gulfport Artist Studio Tour has established itself as a must-see and must-shop holiday arts event on the region\u2019s abundant holiday arts calendar. Through live artist demonstrations, musical performances, and a unique design that welcomes visitors into the private studios of working artists, the tour has set itself apart as a premier winter destination for art buyers from throughout the southeast.<\/p>\n Seeing artists creating in a studio setting invites visitors to experience a more holistic understanding of both the artistic process and the artist, says ArtJones founder Brenda McMahon.<\/p>\n “Art lovers tell us each year that seeing the creative process alongside the finished work deepens their interest in both the work and the artist,” McMahon explained.<\/p>\n The work on this year\u2019s tour represents a variety of artistic mediums, including painting, ceramics, jewelry, fiber art, illustration, and mixed-media art, and nearly all mediums will be featured during live demonstrations at one of the nine stops. Of the 23 artists on this year\u2019s tour, 10 are making their ArtJones debut, including painters Marisa Tiberi, Luisa Costa, Laurie Edwards, Natalie Rafeedie, and Barbara Fallenbaum, mixed-media artists Rebecca Schlabach, Melissa Rogolino, and Marianne Evans, fiber artist Leeann Kroetsch, and illustrator Cindy Rodella Purdy.<\/p>\n In addition to the new artists, returning artists include Brenda McMahon, Nancy Poucher, Debra Campbell, Kiersty Long, Daphna Bowman, Ray Domingo, Monika Watson, Deserie Valloreo, Amy Howell, Jack Providenti, Paula Roy, Cynthia Dugat, and Puma Love.<\/p>\n ArtJones is sponsored locally by the Enroy Foundation, Kathleen and Peter Forde, Stella\u2019s, Tommy\u2019s Hideaway, Sumitra Espresso Lounge, and the Gulfport Merchants Chamber. For more information on the artists and to download a brochure with a map of this year\u2019s ArtJones Open Studio Tour, visit ArtJonesStudioTour.com<\/a> and follow the group on social media outlets @weareartjones on Facebook and @artjonesgulfportfl on Instagram.<\/p>\n New Year\u2019s Eve event to benefit foundation<\/p>\n LARGO \u2014 Calling all high rollers, kings and queens of hearts, the Central Park Performing Arts Foundation will host the inaugural New Year\u2019s Eve Disco Casino Night on Wednesday, Dec. 31, 7 p.m., at the Central Park Performing Arts Center, 105 Central Park Drive, Largo.<\/p>\n Included in the event will be casino tables, roulette, poker, and more. Disco Inferno will provide live music to dance the night away. Prizes, cigar rolling, special cocktails, a cash bar, a photo booth, and a silent auction will round out the evening.<\/p>\n The event will provide a special VIP section with comfortable couches and chairs to relax and count down the last hours of the year. Passed hors d\u2019oeuvres, a small bites buffet, a midnight champagne toast and a balloon drop will ring in the New Year.<\/p>\n Contact any CPPAF board member for tickets, or call 727-543-5050. Event tickets are $150, and sponsorships are still available. All proceeds from the event will benefit the Central Park Performing Arts Foundation and its mission to provide arts opportunities and education for students and adults.<\/p>\n BayCare Sound presents Whoville Holiday<\/p>\n CLEARWATER \u2014 A Whoville Holiday will be presented on Sunday, Dec. 7, 4 p.m., at the BayCare Sound at Coachman Park, 255 Drew St., Clearwater.<\/p>\n The free family-friendly event concludes with a free screening of the 2018 animated classic \u201cDr. Seuss\u2019s The Grinch.\u201d<\/p>\n Enjoy falling snow, hot cocoa, and local food trucks with a variety of tasty offerings available for purchase, as well as photo opportunities with The Grinch himself. The Marcia P. Hoffman School of the Arts students will be singing a selection of holiday favorites and there will also be a drawing for free bicycles for children.<\/p>\n