January 2018 Year in Photos

House Rep. Lawrence McClure opened his district office in Plant City in early January. He began his first term as District 58’s representative in 2018.

Bill McDaniel was promoted from Assistant City Manager to full-time City Manager in January, replacing outgoing Interim City Manager Kim Leinbach.

While pirates invaded Tampa for the annual Gasparilla festival, vikings took over Edward Medard Park to train for combat, play games and have fun role playing as the popular historical group.

Members of the 2018 Florida Strawberry Festival Queen’s Court embrace each other as they learn they’ve won spots on the esteemed court. The pageant was held the evening of Jan. 20.

Plant City hosted its first-ever Mac and Cheese Festival in January after a delay pushed it back from late 2017. The festival was held downtown at McCall Park.

The MLK Festival also poured into the MLK Recreation Center’s grounds for an afternoon of celebration.

Bark in the Park came to downtown Plant City, allowing man’s best friend to roam McCall Park, run races and make new friends. It was held at the same time as January’s food truck rally.

The 2018 Junior Royalty Court members are Queen Morgan Pierce, Princess Paige Madison Zarecor, Duchess Bella Grace Bikowski and Baroness Giselle Elena McDowell.

The 2018 Florida Strawberry Festival Fashion Show had an audience of more than 600. Among the runway models were the Strawberry Festival Queen and Court, the Junior Royalty Court and many of Plant City’s familiar faces.

The MLK Freedom Parade marched through the streets of Plant City on Jan. 13. The marshals were former State Rep. Dan Raulerson and Pastor Ricardo Coronado, who is also a community activist.

Ally Elizabeth Burt was crowned 2018 Florida Strawberry Festival Queen in January. Burt, who comes from one of Plant City’s oldest families, is the first Seffner Christian Academy student to have won the annual pageant.