Talk of The Villages Florida - Strawberry Festival

Talk of The Villages Florida (https://www.talkofthevillages.com/forums/)

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- - Strawberry Festival (https://www.talkofthevillages.com/forums/sports-entertainment-directory-219/strawberry-festival-339317/)

You bought a home there.
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Now you finally know the "Morse Clan" only does things for their own benefit.
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Look at all the houses built South of CR-44. Amazingly with nothing to do except drive North of CR-44. Guess what with nowhere to park.
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"The Villages" was originally built by building all enmities to draw purchases. For the last 6 years or so. NO. NO. NO. Only sell homes to line the "Morse" pockets..
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Why dont they spend the money to build more Town Squares like "Spanish Springs", "Lake Sumter Landing," and the last one built was "Brownwood" which opened in October of 2012. That was almost 11 years ago.
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However, they never stopped selling homes, have they? Many new purchasers are unhappy and move North of CR-44 or out of The Villages completely.
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Shameful of the "Morse Money Hungry Moguls"
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Quote:

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?

Quote:

Originally Posted by sdeikenberry (Post 2191690)

You can get the exact same strawberries from Plant City at Publix for less money and hassle...just sayin'

& you can stay at home and listen to the transistor radio rather than go to a square for live music.

:jester:

Quote:

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?

Part of the reason to do these events (and draw A LOT of people) is for the tenants around the square - they need to make money.

But let’s move it to the polo grounds, then complain when there are no restaurants or stores at the square because people had to park far away.

There was plenty of parking (again, don’t show up at 10AM). I found a spot immediately around lunch time. And I didn’t buy strawberries, we went because it was a beautiful day, and a nice walk. Bought other stuff though.

Quote:

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.

This is all excellent advice, especially the suggestion to LEAVE YOUR DOG AT HOME! It’s just cruel to bring your dog to events like this, the heat makes it even worse. If you are so emotionally fragile that you can’t leave the house without your dog you should not be attending crowded events like this.

Quote:

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?

The population of the villages has almost doubled but we have the same one, day one venue events. Something has to change

Quote:

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?

Thanks Village People 🧐

Best comment ever!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jayhawk (Post 2191520)

Nobody goes there anymore. It's too crowded.

This was my first laugh of the day. Thanks!

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Originally Posted by Travelhunter123 (Post 2191703)

The population of the villages has almost doubled but we have the same one, day one venue events. Something has to change

This festival is two days.

:loco::loco:

:bigbow:

Quote:

Originally Posted by JD Tremor (Post 2191521)

If "Nobody goes there", why is it too crowded? LOL

Quote:

Originally Posted by OrangeBlossomBaby (Post 2191656)

Great advice! I rolled my eyes at an earlier post where a guy complained that he had to park his cart at the north end of the town square, and he didn’t like the band, and the strawberry shortcake wasn’t excellent. Evidently there are thousands of people who think a Strawberry Festival sounds like fun. (I can’t deal with the crowds and I’m not about to buy any crafts, so I stay home to leave parking for others.)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jayhawk (Post 2191520)

Nobody goes there anymore. It's too crowded.

“Crowded” then people do go. Maybe extended to more days could help one go with a lesser “crowd “.

Quote:

Originally Posted by HIgolfers (Post 2191402)

Its crazy why people think they have to go at 10am. We went in the afternoon and had no trouble finding a parking space Still plenty of strawberries 🍓

Quote:

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?

T V is getting too big for its britches. Great suggestion. Distribution and spread of events to all townsquares. Now... HOW does that happen??? T V Developers think villagers should go to Leesburg for movies NOT Brownwood. They sell golf courses and houses now. So WHO actually gives a hoot about over crowding? Oh and all of CENTRAL FL comes to Brownwood. Not seeing much benefit in what T V is becoming. What will it take to reel in the over crowding?

Quote:

Originally Posted by debdeignan (Post 2191718)

Its crazy why people think they have to go at 10am. We went in the afternoon and had no trouble finding a parking space Still plenty of strawberries ��

Exactly the same experience here. No issues parking and had a great time

Quote:

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

And there is probably the problem, new people.