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Photo TR: The Florida Strawberry Festival 2011


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Some of you may have seen last year's trip report from the Strawberry Festival, but if you haven't, it can be seen here:

http://www.themeparkreview.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=54403

 

This year, my family decided to go back to the Florida Strawberry Festival for my mother's birthday. This year's festival features a mostly-unchanged lineup of rides, but several new food carts and exhibits that changed the pace a little bit.

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The first of many strawberry booths at the festival...

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Hiya Dan!

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Our entertainment for day... Nothing but easy jokes here!

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Have I mentioned enough in my time on TPR that I love fried foods?

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Apparently this delicacy has been featured on several food shows before. In favor of my arteries, I passed--though it was extremely tempting!

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Some of the most insane burgers I've ever heard of.

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Give me a moment, please.

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This is a whole new level of ridiculous.

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And that about sums it up.

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This would be our first food stand of the day.

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We had to give this a try!

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Delicious!

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We also tried the fried veggies (mushrooms, zuccini and yellow squash)...

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And of course, the latest IAAPA-inspired trend, Chipstix!

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I love Chipstix!

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Although I wasn't yet in the mood for dessert, one stand offered chocolate covered Key Lime pie on a stick!

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Something else that was new to the festival (or at least something we missed last year) was the Racing Pigs... It was exactly like it sounds, and awesome at that!

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Again, not ready for dessert, but mighty-tempted!

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One corner of the rides area wasn't too busy in the morning.

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A mini wave swinger for the kiddies...

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Here's where things start to look familiar.

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Reminds me of a certain past TPR update...

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A mini whip themed to Nascar!

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This guy's making a bloomin' onion for us!

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Sooo good!

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Arguably Plant City's biggest event of the year has a fairground dedicated just for it!

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A new mascot has arrived...

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They even had a Strawberry Farm in the middle of the festival grounds!

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Don't we all?

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Lose anything?

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I found a new credit!

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Go Gators!

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And believe it or not, the longest line for anything in the festival was this.

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We bought fourteen of these. No joke!

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And of course, we couldn't forget about the deliciously sweet strawberry onions!

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Are you seeing this Andrew?!?! STRAWBERRY DOLE WHIP!!!!

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Anyone want some fresh taffy?

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Reminds me of a fair in Valencia, CA.

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Authorized? Probably not. Fun? Probably!

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Pirates of the Columbian Caribbean.

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Authorized and delicious.

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Welcome to Paradise!

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Mini-Himalaya.

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It's a credit!

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Is this a valid Index photo, Larry?

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Traveling fair drop towers are always such fun!

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It's like Busch Gardens Tampa Bay's Sandstorm, only much faster!

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I didn't get this credit last year, as the car had stalled on the track.

 

I didn't bother this time around, because I didn't want to be in the car that got stuck on the track.

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Pass!

Edited by ernierocker
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(Continued)

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Did this last year--twas very fun!

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Always so photogenic...

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Another new addition was Bobo the Clown.

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Bobo was a barker that had a great talent for edging on guests. He did get dunked once during our pass, but he quickly got back up and went at it again.

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A good ol' fashioned Scrambler.

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A full sized wave swinger was also on the fair grounds this year.

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And the Zipper is still here... And I still haven't ridden it.

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Is this Cypress Gardens' old Power Surge? Looks familiar!

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Could it be?

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It's a traveling fair version of Coney Island's Shoot the Freak!

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And Avalanche is still here as well!

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It was running a lot smoother than last year.

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Also new this year was an animal stable.

 

We got cows!

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This remains to be one of the few Pinfari's I've ever ridden.

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It seems to be keeping the guests thrilled...

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Looks nice... I feel like I'm in Aurora, Ohio.

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DEEP. FRIED. CHEESECAKE.

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It's like a cheesecake burrito!

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And it wouldn't be a fair without ribbon fries!

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*drools*

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On our way out...

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I didn't get to point this out to you last year, but it isn't a visit to the Florida Strawberry Festival without a stop at Parkesdale Groves for some strawberry merch!

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And if you North Americans want something you see here, give 'em a call and they'll deliver!

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It's like a theme park for foodies!

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We bought five.

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"7 or 8"

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So... Many... Strawberries...

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I feel like I just walked into the scrolls of Torah lore.

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Way nicer than Richter's Burgers, except for the lack of Freestyle Coke machines.

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Hotter or cooler than Robb's wing sauce?

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The attraction marquee.

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In case you were wondering where we were...

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I found the Strawberry Shortcake Matterhorn!

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Farewell to... Strawberry Country!

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Great report, I too am a deep-fried fan. We had our own little little deep fried food court here in Fort Lauderdale last weekend. I ate EVERYTHING! (Side note in response to your report: Chicken and waffles is nothing new, we had that when we were kids.)

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Our little food court.

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Chicken on a stick! YUMMMMMM!

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Nom Nom Nom!

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^Ditto on both comments.

 

Also, let me see if I have this right: an ice cream burger is a burger with a scoop of ice cream on it? Is that right? Because if that's right, that is very, very wrong.

 

However, chicken-fried bacon looks like it is every kind of right.

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I was hoping to finally go to the Strawberry Festival this year, but sadly it wasn't meant to be. The boyfriend & I are talking about possibly going to Parkesdale Farms for some strawberry shortcake this weekend though. I've been there before and it's the BEST strawberry shortcake I've ever had. So freaking huge it's a meal in itself.

 

I didn't even make it to the State Fair this year either!

 

Busch Gardens has those chipstix/ribbon fries on a stick thing in the Timbuktu area. Keep meaning to try it sometime as they have a few different flavors.

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