[Madelaine Amee]

If you were there, what did you think of it? Looks great from The Sun write up.

[My Daily Run]

I thought it was wonderful...everything was wonderful...where can you get all of this on a Tuesday afternoon...I even went to the movies and then continued to enjoy the festivities !!!

[bkcunningham1]

That's what my husband said, @My Daily Run. We went Tuesday afternoon and it was packed. There were a few different vendors too. We walked around and played a few of the carnival games and had a blast...on a Tuesday afternoon.

Another thing we noticed though was the amount of golf cart traffic in the new developments. Shocking to see a solid line of carts on the paths when just a few months ago there were none.

[spk7951]

Overall not bad but certainly not without issues that I hope will be addressed for the next time. I do not think they expected the crowds that they did get which can be a good thing. Could not get strawberry shortcake or pie and we got there around 1:30pm. But that was after waiting about 20 minutes because my wife wanted to try a strawberry daiquiri. Do not misunderstand that as a complaint but only two bar tenders on duty does not seem to make sense to me. Traffic and parking were horrendous. Perhaps as building construction gets done the parking will be better. Traffic was so bad back at the Gilchrist gate that Community Watch had to send folks out to move the traffic better. But probably would go back again but a bit earlier in the day.

[gocubsgo]

We came around the corner onto Buena Vista on our cart and they were lined up all the way to 466A !!!!

I came home and made Strawberry Shortcake in my kitchen...

[gatherer47]

I don't understand why one of the drink stands wasn't open.With the long lines and all the people,it would have certainly helped the thirsty.I just wanted a soft drink so I went into the movie theater and got a Coke.No lines,no fuss,no muss.The featival itself was great especially for me the clowns.

[rubicon]

Crowded lack of product no parking...can't wait for next year festival

[Skip]

Just what we need more of - gaudy carnival games, huge lines for food and little parking.

It was a nightmare!

Skip

[justjim]

Nice day----First Strawberry Festival at Brownwood----crowded----parking problems-----delays----- but still a good time!

[cquick]

my friends said there were only 3 food vendors for thousands of hungry festival goers......that doesn't make any sense at all.

[gemorc]

A flat of strawberries for $15.00, I can't believe it. My wife and I went to the National Strawberrry Festival, in Plant City, yesterday. A flat cost $10.95 in the fairgrounds. Booths surrounding the festival sold berries at $10.00 a flat. Driving home, in booths and stores outside the center of town, you could buy a flat for $6.00.

[villagerjack]

It was hugely successful for the vendors. A little crowded? Perhaps but it was a great day and next year it will be better. On to Golf Fest and then St Paddys next week. Where else can you get this stuff? Enjoy yourself, it is later than you think. Perfection is in the next life, if you play your cards right!!!

[villagerjack]

Our HAPPENING was much closer.

Bing Maps - Driving Directions, Traffic and Road Conditions


And FREE

http://www.flstrawberryfestival.com/...ket_prices.pdf

[John_W]

We arrived about 1pm, entering from route 44 by the cattle statues into the south parking lots. We drove through the entire south parking area and never found a parking space. There was probably a dozen more cars like us, and I only saw two get a spot, one was a car that actually came in from the other direction and jumped into the spot I was going. We crossed the main street east of the sales office into the north parking lot and had same outcome. Could not find a spot. We saw some open spaces in a grassy area that many people were using for a parking lot. It appeared we would have to drive over about an 8" curb, which I didn't want to do. As well as parking in a dirt and grass lot and I had just washed my car. We continued until we reached 44A and then exited the area.

We ended up at LSL and had a nice meal at Sonny's. At 1pm their specials kick in, I got a pulled pork sandwich on a nice hamburger roll, corn on the cob, cole slaw and sweet tea, all for $6.99


.

[graciegirl]

We didn't go, so we helped the congestion. Being this was a first you could say it was a huge success or a huge failure, depending on how you look at it.

No one could predict the crowds, the first time around.