Originally Posted by thelegges (Post 2191666)

We always pick up flat of strawberries every year. We can about half for jam, what’s left after eating so many we chop some for muffins and freeze, then macerate for shortcake. Because we didn’t eat enough the first day.

Is plant city strawberries better than Publix….yes by 100 times. We have a strawberry (asparagus/corn/blueberry/apple/pumpkin/cider/donuts) farm, up north a few miles away from us. Any fruit is better when it’s ripe and just picked, over a green basket sitting in a grocery. But that’s just an opinion

Originally Posted by GrnThumb (Post 2191458)

How about a festival in each square on the same day to distribute the crowds or have it at the Polo Field?

Originally Posted by Babubhat (Post 2191515)

Brownwood cart bridge backed up for over half mile at 10am and nowhere to exit on other side. Gridlock like Nyc.

Move it to polo grounds

Originally Posted by HIgolfers (Post 2191402)

Resident for 6 years. Have never been. This year have family visiting so sent them to Strawberry Festival Sat morning at 10 am. They couldn’t find parking- said it was total mob scene. So my question is how early do you have to arrive?

Originally Posted by OrangeBlossomBaby (Post 2191656)

I feel like I'm reading posts from people who've never been to opening day at a county fair. So here's a tip for everyone for the next time around:

If you want to avoid traffic, don't go to these things at all. There will be traffic. Especially since this is snowbird season, AND this is the kind of event that attracts people who don't live in the Villages, but rather live within an hour of the Villages.

Also - don't ever go to the big yearly Mt. Dora Crafts festival. If you were ever thinking about it, stop thinking about it. It's not an option for you.

Next - if you want to go opening day, avoid the opening hour. There is no need or reason to be the first people there. It runs til 4pm. I took Buena Vista down from El Camino Real and had -no- problem with traffic the entire way on the golf cart paths. But I left home after 11, and got to Brownwood sometime between 12:00 and 12:30. I didn't try parking in any of the lots, I just parked along the grassy bank beside the golf cart path with a bunch of other folks. There was plenty of room, and it was only around a block away from the center of the square.

IF you get there at lunch time, make sure you have a little bite of something before leaving home. You might need to wait in line for the food trucks and you don't need your blood sugar to take a dive while you're standing still on hot pavement with no place to sit for a half hour.

Bring a bottle/thermos with cold water in it. Bring your own small canvas bag with handles. Keep the bottle in the bag so you don't have to hold it in your hand the whole time. You can then use the small bag for smaller purchases, as sometimes vendors run out of bags - plus you really don't need one of their bags if you bring your own. You know you're going to buy stuff. Bring a bag.

Go to the bathroom before leaving the house. If you don't have to go, drink some water, and wait until you do have to go. And then go. THEN leave the house. And bring more water with you. Dehydration or needing to take a wiz while you're waiting a half hour in line for food is no joke.

DO NOT BRING YOUR DOG unless it's a) an ACTUAL service dog and b) wearing something to protect its feet (you can buy dog booties online). The dogs here today looked like they were ALL overwhelmed by the crowds and some of them were visibly suffering from standing on the hot pavement (the blacktop roads can get to temperatures over 140° - you try standing on that pavement barefoot and see how well you like it). It's just flat out cruel to bring your pet to a crowded pavement fair. If it was a county fair on actual fairgrounds with shaded grassy areas to sit on, it'd be different. But it's not. So don't do it. If you need a "comfort" animal with you at all times, then assume you won't be comfortable at this fair, and just stay home.

Originally Posted by Kenswing (Post 2191519)

Thank you for this post. I showed it to my wife and it got me out of having to go tomorrow. :a040:

Originally Posted by Garywt (Post 2191603)

I thought it was awesome. Great event. Yes it was crazy but crazy is fun. We came from the north and were able to find parking at 11:30 without much issue. My only issue today was it was too hot for me, wiped me out for the rest of the day.

Originally Posted by HIgolfers (Post 2191402)

Resident for 6 years. Have never been. This year have family visiting so sent them to Strawberry Festival Sat morning at 10 am. They couldn’t find parking- said it was total mob scene. So my question is how early do you have to arrive?