The Florida Strawberry Festival has unveiled its 2026 theme, “Still Growing,” reflecting both its agricultural roots and its expansion in entertainment and community offerings. The 11-day event will run from February 26 through March 8, 2026, in Plant City.
Pam Warnock, board chairman, said the theme was selected to highlight the Festival’s progress, not only in strawberries and agriculture, but also in entertainment, attractions and visitor experience. She said the Festival remains rooted in its heritage while making room for new growth.
Headline entertainment was also announces, spanning multiple music genres and decades of hits. Highlights include:
Thursday, February 26
10:30 a.m.: Jimmy Sturr & His Orchestra (free with paid gate admission).
3:30 p.m.: The Oak Ridge Boys, four-part harmonies and decades of chart hits.
7:30 p.m.: Alabama (band), the country music group that sold more than 80 million albums and changed the face of the genre.
Friday, February 27
3:30 p.m.: Jo Dee Messina, one of the leading female country artists of the 1990s.
7:30 p.m.: Jamey Johnson, a songwriter-singer praised by The New York Times as “one of the greatest country singers of our time.”
Saturday, February 28
3:30 p.m.: Lonestar, the group behind the crossover hit “Amazed.”
7:30 p.m.: Ty Myers, a fast-rising country artist with major streaming numbers.
Sunday, March 1
6:30 p.m.: Riley Green featuring Hannah McFarland, country artists bridging classic and contemporary.
Monday, March 2
3:30 p.m.: Gene Watson, a traditional country veteran of more than 60 years.
Evening: To Be announced
Tuesday, March 3
3:30 p.m.: Sandy Patty, an American Christian music singer, known for her wide soprano vocal range and expressive flexibility.
7:30 p.m.: Lauren Daigle, an American contemporary Christian music singer, and two-time Grammy®, eight-time Billboard Music, four-time American Music, and twelve-time GMA Dove Music Award winner.
Wednesday, March 4
3:30 p.m.: John Foster, a runner-up from American Idol, maintaining a traditional country style.
7:30 p.m.: Brantley Gilbert, a multi-platinum artist known for blending rock and rap into modern country.
Thursday, March 5
10:30 a.m.: Bill Haley Jr. & The Comets (free with gate admission), continuing the legacy of early rock and roll.
3:30 p.m.: The Bellamy Brothers, the Florida-based duo approaching their 50th anniversary.
7:30 p.m.: Dierks Bentley, a modern country star with multi-platinum albums and Grammy nominations.
Friday, March 6
3:30 p.m.: The Marshall Tucker Band, noted for incorporating blues, country, rock and jazz into an eclectic sound, helped establish the Southern rock genre.
7:30 p.m.: Forrest Frank, inspirational pop / contemporary Christian music.
Saturday, March 7
3:30 p.m.: To Be Announced
7:30 p.m.: The Offspring, a rock band credited with reviving mainstream punk in the 1990s.
Sunday, March 8
7:30 p.m.: To Be Announced
Tickets go on sale December 11, 2025 at 8:00 a.m. EST, and gate admission is not included with concert tickets. ADA seating requires a phone reservation. Visit Florida Strawberry Festival
Warnock added that the mix of legendary acts and rising stars supports the “Still Growing” theme by engaging multiple generations of Festival visitors. Attendees can expect additional agricultural exhibits, enhanced attractions and the familiar promise of strawberries, shortcake and family-friendly fun.
The Festival draws more than 600,000 visitors annually and plays a significant role in the local economy and agriculture of Eastern Hillsborough County. The 2026 edition aims to build on that legacy, offering “growth” in both tradition and innovation.
