“My road to volunteering began in 2021 with the GFWC Junior Women’s Club of Plant City,” Amanda Lagunes said. “My friends and fellow club members invited me to volunteer with them at the Strawberry Festival’s Information Booth, where we had the opportunity to connect with visitors, showcase our town, and share what makes Plant City so special and why we shine.
The following year, I had the chance to volunteer with different teams. I rode the trams that took guests into the festival, and I became an Ambassador. One of my favorite volunteer opportunities has been serving in the Media Center. We greet guests at the front door, serve lunch with love, and even fluff pillows to make it a cozy and inviting experience. I especially enjoy walking with Mr. and Mrs. Berry!”
Over the 11-day run of the Florida Strawberry Festival, 2,000 volunteers like Lagunes contribute their time and energy to make it a great experience for guests. From those who park cars, to those who assist people getting on trams, to those staffing the Neighborhood Village, these smiling people can be found wherever a visitor needs some help. Two of the largest teams are the Ambassadors and those who work in Guest Services.
The Guest Services team covers the History Center, the gift shop, and eight Guest Services booths. This group boasts 700 volunteers. On duty, they wear white shirts (or strawberry shirts for those who are particularly festive), and jeans or shorts. Each day, 56 of these volunteers work three shifts per day that last between three and four hours.
The Guest Services informational booths are placed in strategic locations throughout the festival. At least two volunteers staff each booth. The helpful volunteers can direct visitors to rides, vendors, and everything else Strawberry Festival, provide show times and help find lost items, and track down wandering children. Each booth is equipped with a walkie-talkie for quick communication when there is a need, and to expand the number of people available to answer questions.
The History Center holds displays highlighting former Strawberry Festival Queens, and an overview of the history of the Festival. Four volunteers are stationed there to show visitors around, or help them find out more about past Queens such as U.S. Senator from Florida, Ashley Moody.
Three volunteers per shift handle the gift shop. They can assist shoppers in finding the perfect Strawberry Festival souvenir.
Brooke Warnock has served as Guest Services Chair for two years, and Co-Chair for 11 years before that. In her role, Warnock spends countless hours throughout the year organizing, preparing, and leading this team. She will be onsite at the Festival nearly all day every day. She has volunteered along with her parents since she was a kid. “I don’t remember a time when my family wasn’t involved,” Warnock said. “I love Plant City. I love the Strawberry Festival and what it means to our city. It is just a blessing to be able to do it. I think that Plant City and the Strawberry Festival are a special tradition, and a blessing to Plant City. I enjoy being a part of it.”
The best way to describe Ambassadors is that they are walking customer service. These volunteers mill around to keep eyes out for people who look confused, to ask, “Can I help you find anything?” For visitors who are able to hide their confusion, they can spot an Ambassador by the white shirt, red baseball cap or visor, dark shorts or jeans, and red vest that says, “Ambassador” in large lettering on the back. These volunteers have to return the vest, but as a perk, they get to keep the hat.
The more than 350 volunteers who give their time as Ambassadors work in pairs in three shifts: 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.; 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.; and 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. Each shift sends out 16 Ambassadors and a captain. On the busier days, the team fields more Ambassadors. They walk throughout the Festival grounds—except for the midway since people in that area can easily see the rides they want—so comfortable shoes are a must.
Ambassadors carry a clipboard with a lot of good information, and free stickers that say things like, “I’m here for the food,” and, “It’s my first Festival.” “People at the Festival love to get those stickers,” Brian West, Ambassador Chairman, said. “We help them in any way we can. One of the first questions we ask them is, ‘Have you downloaded the new app?’ We coach them through that to help them navigate the grounds. People have found that to be very helpful.”
The app provides guests with comprehensive information to enhance their overall experience—offering a user-friendly interface that allows visitors to access interactive maps, vendor listings, headline entertainment, daily schedules, and parking information that has a feature to pin a parking spot so they don’t lose their car in the ginormous lot.
For both Ambassadors and Guest Services volunteers, the teams are led by captains and co-captains who recruit friends, family, neighbors, and people from their churches or civic organizations to volunteer.
“Some of the Ambassadors have been volunteering for over 20 years, and we’ve got people who are doing it their first time this year,” West said. “But once they do it, they generally get hooked and want to continue doing it because it really is a lot of fun. You have the opportunity to get around and see things for yourself while you are helping others.”
Volunteers can be snowbirds, or those relatively new to Plant City, but “The vast majority of them are from right here in town,” West added. “It is people who have grown up attending the festival for their entire lives, and this is a way for them to give back.”
Though captains recruit people for their teams, the Florida Strawberry Festival can always use additional volunteers. Those who would like to volunteer can contact the Strawberry Festival office at (813) 752-9194. Volunteers need to be 18 or older, or paired with an adult. People can volunteer multiple times and serve in different areas.
“If you like to volunteer, if you like to give back, if you like people, if you’ve got some soft skills—this is your gig.” West commented.
