Plant City near Orlando, Florida is a city in Hillsborough County, Florida which happens to also be the strawberry capital of the world. The entire city is loaded with vegetables, fruits, tropical houseplants and other flora. The tropical climate is perfect for the plants to grow here. Many believe this is where the city got its name, but the name came from Henry B. Plant, a influential railroad developer.
Plant City is famous for their Florida Strawberry Festival, which is held each year in February or March. This famous festival gets people form all over the United States and the entire world. The Strawberry Festival offers live entertainment, delicious food, arts and crafts, exhibits of agriculture and industry as well as many of the ripe, delicious strawberries they're so known for growing. You will find foods made with strawberries that you would never imagine. There are booth after booth of "strawberry related" merchandise. They also have their stages filled with talent from music, dance to skateboard performances.
A festival just isn't a festival without a pageant and parades. You'll get to watch the regional marching bands in the parade. This festival has kept Plant City popular for over 70 years and will continue to do so.
The original name of Plant City was Ichepucksassa after the Indians that lived there, but was later renamed Cork, which was the hometown of the postmaster. Eventually the name was changed to Plant, in honor of the man who gave them their first railroad as well as the boost to economy it provided. At one time, this city was a cotton center until they changed it to strawberries. This is when it was recognized as the winter strawberry capital.
