Florida Strawberry Festival official lineup updates

​With the 2023 iteration of Florida's Strawberry Fest right around the corner, snagging tickets to see your favorite talent might have already been on your to-do list. With notable names like Willie Nelson, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Halestorm, and more announced back in November of 2022, the headliners for Florida Strawberry Festival 2023 was already shaping up to be a musical hit and blast from the past for fruit munchers, lyric lovers, and nostalgia seekers alike. Five additional artists now flesh out the roster of over 20 performers, while one leaves the line-up.

Completing this year's array of ticketed entertainment are renown Hip Hop and Rap artist Chris "Ludacris" Bridges, as well as American Country Pop singer and songwriter, Walker Hayes. Hayes is set to take stage on Thursday, March 2 at 7:30 p.m., with Luda slated for the same time slot two days later on March 4.

Country music pillar, Chris Young, also joins the line up with a performance on March 5, with The Jacksons — formerly known as The Jackson 5, and brothers to the King of Pop, Michael Jackson — performing on March 8. They join Ludacris and Hayes by filling their respective date's 7:30 p.m. timeslots.

Removed from the roster is 80s and 90s American R&B artist, Keith Sweat. Originally set to take stage on Saturday, March 11 at 7:30 p.m., 1992 Hall of Fame inductees, The Isley Brothers, will replace him, playing their soul, funk, rock, and R&B from the 1950s to 1980s.

The complete list of headliners and their stage-times now takes shape as follows:

• Jimmy Sturr & His Orchestra — Thursday, March 2 at 10:30 a.m.
• The Oak Ridge Boys Front Porch Singin’ Tour — Thursday, March 2 at 3:30 p.m.
• Walker Hayes — Thursday, March 2 at 7:30 p.m.
• Willie Nelson & Family — Friday, March 3 at 3:30 p.m.
• Halestorm — Friday, March 3 at 7:30 p.m.
• Sara Evans — Saturday, March 4 at 3:30 p.m.
• Chris "Ludacris" Bridges — Saturday, March 4 at 7:30 p.m.
• The Gatlin Brothers — Sunday, March 5 at 3:30 p.m.
• Chris Young — Sunday, March 5 at 7:30 p.m.
• Neal McCoy — Monday, March 6 at 3:30 p.m.
• Josh Turner — Monday, March 6 at 7:30 p.m.
• Roots & Boots Aaron Tippin, Collin Raye and Sammy Kershaw — Tuesday, March 7 at 3:30 p.m.
• CeCe Winans — Tuesday, March 7 at 7:30 p.m.
• Tanya Tucker — Wednesday, March 8 at 3:30 p.m.
• The Jacksons — Wednesday, March 8 at 7:30 p.m.
• Bill Haley Jr. & the Comets — Thursday, March 9 at 10:30 a.m.
• Tommy James & the Shondells — Thursday, March 9 at 3:30 p.m.
• For King + Country — Thursday, March 9 at 7:30 p.m.
• Wayne Newton — Friday, March 10 at 3:30 p.m.
• Train — Friday, March 10 at 7:30 p.m.
• Sawyer Brown — Saturday, March 11 at 3:30 p.m.
• The Isley Brothers — Saturday, March 11 at 7:30 p.m.
• Country Gold Tour Featuring Leroy Van Dyke, T.G. Sheppard, Mandy Barnett and T. Graham Brown — Sunday, March 12 at 3:30 p.m.
• Lynyrd Skynyrd — Sunday, March 12 at 7:30 p.m.
  
  

While the headliners are the stars of the show — second only to the scrumptious strawberry snacks waiting to be nibbled on, of course — a variety of free entertainment will also be available throughout the grounds, as well as at the Publix, Entenmann's, and Stingray Chevrolet showcase tents.

Ticket prices for headline performers will vary depending on the artist, with some included in the price of gate admission. Check Florida Strawberry Festival's website here for more details and to get tickets to your most anticipated headliner. You can learn more about available free entertainment here.

The Strawberry Festival will officially kick off the 2023 season on the 2nd of March from 10 am to 10 pm and every day until March 12, located at 303 BerryFest Place, Plant City, FL. Admission at the gate is $10 per adult (13+), $5 per child aged 6 to 12, with children under 5 getting in free with paid adult admission; though you can save a couple bucks by purchasing your ticket in advance online here.
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Article by Rachael Volpe