Red Calliope Gallery on Evers and Rouge Champagne Bar in Plant City have become the go-to spot in the historic downtown corridor for all things art, music, comedy, and theater. This past October, they debuted their first cabaret show, La Lemiere, which was a mixture of Broadway’s sexy songs, Chicago, Moulin Rouge, and The Greatest […]
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Around Town 02.26.26
We asked Plant City: How many years have you been attending the Florida Strawberry Festival? 59. I’m only 58 but I’m counting when my mom went while pregnant with me. J.R. Pitts My mother is 98.5 years old and doesn’t remember exactly how old she was when she attended the first time, but remembers she […]
Continue ReadingObituaries 02.26.26
Etta Mae Orr Wetherington Etta Mae Orr Wetherington entered heaven on Feb. 17, 2026, to be with her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, and her husband of 65 years, Joe Wetherington. Etta was born in a log cabin near Corbin, Kentucky, on Nov. 11, 1922, to Frank Weatherford Orr and Lula Alice Hendrix Orr, and moved […]
Continue ReadingPlant City City Manager Named Parade Marshal of Florida Strawberry Festival Grand Parade
Bill McDaniel has been named the distinguished parade marshal of the 2026 Florida Strawberry Festival Grand Parade, an honor parade organizers said reflects decades of leadership, service, and commitment to the community. Berry Fine Productions, Inc., which organizes the annual parade, announced McDaniel’s selection as part of preparations for the 2026 festival. The festival’s theme, […]
Continue ReadingFestival Royalty Takes the Spotlight
The 2026 Florida Strawberry Festival Queen and her court were all smiles as they gathered with family and festival leaders for the unveiling of the updated queen’s exhibit, an annual tradition that preserves the pageant’s history while celebrating its former and current royalty. The exhibit, located inside the Milton E. Hull Building (also known as […]
Continue ReadingFrom Baby Parade Winner to Trailblazer: One Woman Reflects on Breaking Barriers
Long before she became a minister’s wife, school bus driver, and Christian author, Alicia Shephard was a toddler crossing a stage in lace socks and a handmade gown, unaware she was making local history. In the early 1970s, during a time of racial transition across the South, Shephard, then Alicia Burch, became the first Black […]
Continue ReadingLonestar Brings Hit-Filled Live Show to Florida Strawberry Festival
pping hits and a reputation for unforgettable live shows, Lonestar is set to bring its signature blend of country heart and rock-and-roll energy to the Florida Strawberry Festival’s Wish Soundstage Sat., Feb. 28 at 3:30 p.m. The multi-award-winning band best known for timeless songs like “Amazed,” “I’m Already There,” and “My Front Porch Looking In,” […]
Continue ReadingFrom Dirt Roads to Fairground Lights:
In the 1930s, Plant City was a town built on timing. Not clock time, but harvest time, the narrow winter window when strawberries ripened in the soil and had to be picked, packed, and shipped before the sweetness faded. The Great Depression still pressed hard across the country, and life here was practical, frugal, and […]
Continue ReadingAfter the Freeze: Restoring Your Florida Garden
For many Florida gardeners, winter usually means a brief cool-down, not a devastating freeze. But this year’s unprecedented cold snap hit hard. Across Central Florida and beyond, tropical foliage turned to mush overnight, citrus dropped leaves, and once-lush landscapes looked scorched and brittle. If you lost plants, you’re not alone. The good news? Florida gardens […]
Continue ReadingNight to Shine Brings Royal Treatment and God’s Love to Plant City
Photos courtesy of Jose Lozoya Perfect weather and joyful celebration marked this year’s Night to Shine event at First Baptist Church of Plant City, making it a truly memorable evening for guests, families, and volunteers alike. This year’s prom-style celebration was especially meaningful as it marked the first major event held in the church’s new […]
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