Plant City will celebrate the beginning of the 2014 Florida Strawberry Festival with not one but two parades.
The Plant City Civitan Club’s Annual Youth Parade will take to the streets at 11 a.m. Saturday, March 1, at the Plant City State Farmers’ Market, 1305 W. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
Two days later, the Florida Strawberry Festival Grand Parade steps off at 1 p.m. Monday, March 3, in Historic Downtown Plant City.
Attendees of both parades should notice some familiar funny faces greeting kids of all ages: This year, the clowns from Durant High School’s Leo Club will be marching in both. Plant City Lions Club members David and Shirley Vick, retired clowns, started the troupe three years ago. This year, the clowns have been working hard to create new costumes, new faces and new talents, with the help of professionals Jerry Crabb, Mike Jones, Dianne McCarthy and Boyd Smith. Focus 4 Beauty Career Center owner Paul Granville opened the second floor of his business to the troupe to use as a classroom.
“Clown captain Daisy Alverez and co-captain Abigail Ponce have been outstanding leaders for years,” David Vick says. “And Ashley Webb, a three-year alum, has not ever missed practice, rehearsal or event.”