For as long as Plant City residents can remember, the Florida Strawberry Festival kicks off with one of the most glamorous events of the season: the Strawberry Ball.
But this year will be different. The Strawberry Ball will be held in April, after the 11-day festival has ended, instead of its usual January date.
The change in date will serve as a trial run in 2016, Festival Manager Paul Davis said. If successful, the board of directors may choose to permanently hold the Strawberry Ball after the festival is over.
In the past, the committee for the ball has worked around the clock to ensure a successful event. Days lasting until 11 p.m. leading up to the ball were not unheard of. The individuals who build the backdrops to the ball, such as a full-size riverboat stage, also serve on other committees, leaving volunteers with little downtime.
“It’s just a full, non-stop, five-week period,” Davis said. “We have so many events leading up to the festival. After one event, we would have to start cleaning up that night and redecorate. It was a burden.”
Davis said that by holding the Strawberry Ball later, volunteers and guests can view the event as a way to commemorate a successful year and a successful festival.
“It’s a celebration,” Davis said. “I think it will be a big success.”
There are other minor changes as well. Meals were formerly served at tables, but will now be available buffet-style through serving stations.
Even though the Strawberry Ball will be held at a later date, the committee is already meeting to plan the event. The theme for the Strawberry Ball will most likely be announced in the next 30 days, and the Strawberry Ball committee is working to put door prizes and VIP packages together for the event.
This year, the Strawberry Ball will hold a fundraiser for United Food Bank of Plant City through auctions, in addition to raising money for either the Wounded Warrior Project or the Haley House Fund in Tampa. Ticket money will be used to offset the cost of the ball.
“It keeps us local,” Davis said. “We don’t make money on the ball, and we’re not looking to make money. Every nickel raised in that will go to those two charities.”
The Strawberry Ball will be held April 30, at the Expo Hall on the Florida Strawberry Festival fairgrounds. The event will start at 7 p.m., with dinner beginning at 8 p.m.
Contact Emily Topper at etopper@plantcityobserver.com.