I found out back in late December, while discussing family history with Aunt Lois, that she would be down near me, northwest of the Tampa metropolitan area, for a wedding on March 1st, and she suggested we should get together. I agreed. I checked in two months later, and although pretty anxious about staying with a friend (with an amazing pool) while their daughter tied the knot, she was excited to see me.

Friday morning, I get an invite to the Strawberry Festival in Plant City. Under two hours later, the fourth out of five girls (my mom being the baby by eleven months) was standing outside my door with the biggest smile on her face. I take a selfie and post to Instagram before bringing her upstairs to say hello to Caleb (who won’t be joining us today). She would be driving us the hour east and somehow manage to get us front row parking (about five car spots from the gate).

We showed our pre-bought tickets, from Publix, and let them have a look in our bags. We were there to shop and snack, so no ride wristbands were needed. We looked at and sat on the Cyclone adjustable-height chair, which would be great if I were in want of another travel-friendly seat. We don’t make it an hour before we are trying strawberry shortcake and splitting a strawberry tiramisu.

We spent the next couple of hours looking, and very possibly buying, hot sauce, a tote bag, an outfit for her great-granddaughter, a clay oil diffuser, and pineberries (white strawberries with a pineapple taste). Aunt Lois does a handwriting personality analysis from a Televac 62000, and we agree with the results, as I’m sure others do with their horoscopes in the back of the newspaper – vague is the way.

We wander into another tent, and my attention is grabbed by a man who calls himself Hilby – The Skinny German Juggle Boy. I’ve seen some of his acts performed by others before, but they have yet to meet his level of hilarity that kept me engaged. At one point, in an effort to get more viewers, “Americans,” he said, “All you can eat at the accident!”

After he’s done making us laugh, we’ll share some thick-cut bacon with chocolate dipping sauce, under an awning. I’m grateful that Aunt Lois is more sun-cautious this time, as I have a memory of being on her boat on a lake all day and her dropping me off at Aunt Gerri’s with a lot of red skin. Next is the museum hall with a strawberry queen dress stand-in and the portraits of every Queen since 1930, minus 1942-47 when priorities were elsewhere.

Ashley Moody was elected festival queen in 1993, elected attorney general, and served from 2019 to January 2025 when she was appointed to the US Senate. There are a bunch of other facts about the festival and portraits of musicians who have played throughout the years. This event wouldn’t take place without the thousands of volunteers who continue to keep this tradition alive and showcasing the importance of proper farming techniques and involving students in the livestock shows.

There is a make-your-own strawberry shortcake buffet, but we will bypass that to sample and purchase more sauces, a hooded blanket, a hair curler, and talk to almost every vendor, even if they don’t sell the adorable boots and sandals in a size to fit our large feet. A guy puts cream on our wrinkly eye bags (that we obviously don’t have) and wants me to dry it with a fan (not wipe off the excess with my finger). We reward our now-younger-looking selves with a gourmet ice pop, a strawberry datil for me, from The Hyppo, with a location in Hyde Park Village in Tampa.

Another great vendor, cookingwithbleu, makes pasta in fun flavors like key lime curry, strawberry, espresso, and jalapeno lime. We talked with a sheriff doing a fundraiser, and when I asked about a photo-op in the backseat of the cruiser he said I could punch his partner and have it arranged. I’m not looking for a permanent position. I thought about the conversation later and wondered if anyone would see his bodycam footage.

We stayed until seating began for the Reba McEntire concert and agreed that we had not drunk enough water while the sun was up. On the return, I get to listen to her and Aunt Janet discuss plans for their summer trip to Europe. I’m excited for them. We talk about the last ten years (how long it’s been since she lost another sister and me a mom – though I know exactly where she is). Aunt Lois dropped me off at 9pm, five miles from where she picked me up, and met my friends Al, Terry, and Karley, who were with Caleb in the hot tub.

While she drove over 20 minutes back to her friend’s house, I went with this hungry bunch to Clear Sky Club Haus for a late dinner – something other than strawberries. We left around 1030, got dropped off at our place, and I walked over to theirs (Terry and Karley are currently our neighbors, which is how we met Al before he moved) to grab Caleb’s shorts, towel, and bottle. This gave me a chance to say hi to their dog, Macaroni, before his evening walk.