How a Plant City tradition helped Tampa Electric crews restore power after Hurricane Milton
Most years, thousands of people come to the Florida Strawberry Festival grounds for concerts, agriculture, rides and, of course, strawberries.
After Hurricane Milton, thousands arrived for a very different reason.
For approximately two weeks, the much-loved Festival grounds in Plant City became a staging site for out-of-town lineworkers and support personnel helping restore power across West Central Florida. Instead of Festival crowds, the grounds filled with crews, vehicles and equipment mobilized for one of the region’s largest recovery efforts.
The Festival’s Category 5-rated facilities provided a secure location where crews could gather and prepare to deploy throughout the region.
It was an unusual moment for a place best known for an 11-day celebration each spring, but it also demonstrated something that’s less visible about the Florida Strawberry Festival: its role in the community extends throughout the year.
More than 11 days
The Festival grounds host more than 30 events each year, along with educational programs, agricultural activities and community gatherings serving residents across West Central Florida and visitors from all over.
As the campus has grown, so has the infrastructure required to support it.
Over the years, the Festival has expanded to include facilities such as the TECO Expo Hall, Arthur Boring Civic Center and Charlie Grimes Family Agricultural Center. Tampa Electric has worked with the Festival to support the infrastructure behind that growth.
Most recently, Tampa Electric provided underground fiber infrastructure for a new restroom facility, supporting internet connectivity and security systems. Similar projects have helped connect buildings across the campus as the Festival has evolved.
A partnership built over decades
One of the most visible examples of the relationship is the TECO Expo Hall, which hosts trade shows, community events, training programs and other gatherings throughout the year.
"The Florida Strawberry Festival deeply values its longstanding relationship with TECO and appreciates the company's continued investment in our organization and the people we collectively serve," said Florida Strawberry Festival President Kyle Robinson. "Through a shared commitment to service, economic vitality and disaster preparedness, this collaboration delivers meaningful benefits well beyond the annual Festival."
Robinson added, "As the Festival has grown into a year-round community campus, Tampa Electric has helped support the infrastructure needed to serve our guests, partners and community organizations. Their partnership has helped us continue expanding our impact while preserving the traditions that make the Festival a valuable community resource."
While many people associate the Florida Strawberry Festival with 11 days each spring, its impact lasts all year. Through community events, agricultural programs and emergency response support, the Festival continues to strengthen West Central Florida and demonstrate what's possible when strong community partners work together.
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