Commissioners recognize festival staff, Queen and her Court, and Mr. and Mrs. Berry
Strawberries were the delicious stars Feb. 18 as the Hillsborough County Board of County Commissioners presented a proclamation declaring Feb. 26 through March 8, 2026, as Florida Strawberry Festival Days. Kyle Robinson, the festival's president, accepted the recognition. Robinson was joined by numerous guests, including Festival Queen Layla Rothman, First Maid Marley Mueller, and Court Members Cadence Cape and Addison Griffin, and the festival's mascots, Mr. and Mrs. Berry.
Since 1930, the Florida Strawberry Festival has brought residents and visitors together to honor farmers and celebrate the bountiful strawberry harvest, a $1.1 billion industry in Hillsborough County alone. The festival has long been recognized as the No. 1 fair or festival in Florida, as well as one of the top 35 events in North America, where people enjoy some of the world's top entertainment, educational exhibits, friendly competitions, and attractions.
After accepting the proclamation, Robinson thanked the Board and said that the festival is a very special part of Hillsborough County, especially during weather challenges this year.
"The strawberry industry is alive and well," he said. "We should never forget how important our strawberry growers are, particularly in a time of hardship and freeze this year that they've experienced. But they're resilient, and they'll bounce back, and we'll have a good strawberry harvest. And that's what the Strawberry Festival is all about."
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