It’s a tradition for some of the Florida Strawberry Festival’s biggest fans to line up at the ticket booth.
Though Florida Strawberry Festival concert tickets were available over the phone and online starting Thursday, Dec. 10, diehard music fans in the Winter Strawberry Capital of the World wanted to make sure they got the best seats possible. That meant waiting in line for three days.
Elizabeth Roberts and Stephanie Spangler, a mother-daughter duo, arrived at the ticket office on West Oak Avenue Monday, Dec. 7.
“We do it every year,” Roberts said. “Cole Swindell is our first choice. We want to make sure to get (tickets) first and make sure we get good seats.”
Roberts and Spangler are avid festival attendees. Roberts first brought Spangler, now 33, to the festival 30 years ago. The pair has been first in line for tickets before.
Donna Elliott also arrived early on Monday and was excited to purchase tickets for Cheap Trick and Donnie and Marie, as well as Echosmith tickets for her grandchildren.
“It’s really fun,” Elliott said. “I like all the people that come and bring us orange juice, milk and donuts.”
Despite the full days spent in line, many residents were still bursting with energy the morning that tickets went on sale. Scott Grace, who arrived at the fairgrounds at 2 p.m. on Monday, views the camping out and long wait as tradition.
“The same people do it every year,” Grace said. “It’s just fun. We get made fun of a lot.”
Festival General Manager Paul Davis is used to seeing the same familiar faces in line year after year and said that there are no issues with people waiting in line for tickets. For him, seeing the campers bright and early on Thursday morning was business as usual.
“It’s about the same (as last year),” Davis said. “For the last four years, it’s been that way. As soon as we open up there are orders in, so that helps. Most of the time, they get really good seats.”
Davis said between 5,000 and 6,000 people typically go online at the same time to purchase tickets. By waiting in line at the festival fairgrounds, attendees ensure that they will get front row tickets or tickets just a few rows back.
Kathy and John McCarty have tried to buy tickets online before, but found that they weren’t able to get good seats. The couple arrived at the fairgrounds at about 7:30 a.m. on Thursday morning to avoid the online hassle.
“We always come around this time,” John McCarty said. The couple has been attending the Florida Strawberry Festival for over 10 years.
Headliners for this year’s Florida Strawberry Festival include The Band Perry, Echosmith, Cole Swindell, Martina McBride and more. The festival will run from Thursday, March 3, to Wednesday, March 16.
Contact Emily Topper at etopper@plantcityobserver.com.
