The Florida Strawberry Festival took a moment on March 10 to honor local veterans and first responders during a special ceremony prior to the oxford noland concert.
The event featured a speech by Commissioner Mary Mathis and then the festival’s Chairman of the Board Dub McGinnes thanked those in the audience who had served in the U.S. military. As a song played representing each branch those in the audience who were veterans or active military were asked to stand. They were then greeted with loud applause before the next branch’s tune began.
McGinnes also provided plaques to representatives from PCPD, PCFR and HCSO. Grow Financial Federal Credit Union — the sponsor of the event — and BayCare also received plaques from the festival.
Following the presentation oxford noland took the stage and performed some of its indie rock hits for the crowd. The band is comprised of cousins Shua Harrell and Aaron ‘Bucky’ Buckingham who grew up playing on their grandparents’ strawberry farm in Plant City.