Florida Strawberry Festival lineup gets nod from Country Music Awards

The stellar lineup at the annual Florida Strawberry Festival has earned the Plant City fair a nomination in the 58th Annual Academy of Country Music Awards.

The 88-year-old festival has long distinguished itself for booking a who’s who in country music, from Willie Nelson this March, to Reba McEntire, Travis Tritt and even a young Taylor Swift. The lineup is credited with making the fair in the tiny northeast Hillsborough County town the largest in the state, well ahead of the state fair, and one of the largest in the country with more than 520,000 visitors over two weeks in March.

The Academy of Country Music announced its nominations this week, and the Florida Strawberry Festival has been selected as one of five nominees in the Fair/Rodeo of the Year category.

“We are incredibly honored to have been nominated for this award,” Florida Strawberry Festival president Paul Davis said. “Our fellow nominees are outstanding events, and it is a privilege to be in this group. Thanks, once again, to our patrons for making the Florida Strawberry Festival a nationally recognized event.”

The ACM Awards will take place at 8 p.m. May 11 at the Ford Center in Frisco, Texas. The event will be hosted by Dolly Parton and Garth Brooks. See acmcountry.com for more information.