Sponsors

The Floral City Strawberry Festival is held annually the first weekend in March in Floral Park in Floral City. The festival celebrates its tasty name sake with a full weekend of fun that has been a local tradition for generations. The 38th Annual Floral City Strawberry Festival will feature over 200 vendors, food trucks, children's activities, a beer & wine garden, non-stop live entertainment, including the Prince & Princess Strawberry Pageant, the ever popular pie eating contests and much more!!! March 1st & 2nd, 2025 Admission is $5 for adults, 12 & under are free. Free parking and shuttle buses will be available: Citrus County Auditorium at 3610 S. Florida Ave., Inverness. Event Sponsorship Opportunities The Citrus County Chamber is organizing the 38th annual Floral City Strawberry Festival that is expected to draw more than 16,000 people to the 2-day event. This event promotes our locally grown strawberries and the charm of Floral City and its merchants. The Chamber will be conducting a large advertising and PR campaign centered on this event that will offer your business a rewarding opportunity to build its image in our community. Please consider investing in this jewel of a festival that will include local food, entertainment, and businesses. Presenting $2,500 • Listing in the Tampa Bay Times and the Citrus County Chronicle advertising, including the official Floral City Strawberry Festival Tab as presenting Sponsor with logo. • Company name listed in Chamber publications such as our e-blast to over 1,700 contacts or our periodic news update, with logo when permissible. • Listed on web and social media advertising as Presenting Sponsor. • Logo prominently displayed on the sponsor banners at the event. • Space for partner banner near entertainment area. [You may provide banner up to 10’ in length x 3’ in height.] • Recognition from the entertainment stage as Presenting Sponsor • One (1) no-cost booth space for both days of event. • Twelve (12) All Access event passes with backstage VIP parking, stage-side sponsor tent, and unlimited beverages. • Twelve (12) strawberry shortcakes coupons. Gold $1,500 • Listing in the Tampa Bay Times and the Citrus County Chronicle advertising, including the official Floral City Strawberry Festival Tab as a Gold Sponsor with logo. • Company name listed in Chamber publications such as our e-blast to over 1,700 contacts or our periodic news update, with logo when permissible. • Listed on web and social media advertising as a Gold Sponsor. • Logo displayed on the sponsor banner at the event. • Space for partner banner near entertainment area. [You may provide banner up to 8’ in length x 3’ in height.] • One (1) no-cost booth space for both days of event. • Eight (8) All Access event passes with backstage VIP parking, stage-side sponsor tent, and unlimited beverages. • Eight (8) strawberry shortcakes coupons. {more} Silver $1,000 • Listing in the Tampa Bay Times and the Citrus County Chronicle advertising, including the official Floral City Strawberry Festival Tab as a Silver Sponsor. • Company name listed in Chamber publications such as our e-blast to over 1,700 contacts or our periodic news update, with logo when permissible. • Listed on web and social media advertising as a Silver Sponsor. • Logo displayed on the sponsor banner at the event. • Space for partner banner near entertainment area. [You may provide banner no larger than 6’ x 3’] • One (1) no-cost booth space for both days of event. • Six (6) All Access event passes with backstage VIP parking, stage-side sponsor tent, and unlimited beverages. • Six (6) Strawberry Shortcake coupons Bronze $500 • Listing in the Tampa Bay Times and the Citrus County Chronicle advertising, including the official Floral City Strawberry Festival Tab as a Bronze Sponsor. • Company name listed in Chamber publications such as our e-blast to over 1,700 contacts or our periodic news update. • Listed on web and social media advertising as a Bronze Sponsor. • Logo displayed on the sponsor banner at the event. [You may provide banner no larger than 5’ x 3’] • Space for partner banner near entertainment area. • One (1) no-cost booth space for both days of event. • Four (4) All Access event passes with backstage VIP parking, stage-side sponsor tent, and unlimited beverages. • Four (4) Strawberry Shortcake coupons. Friend of the Festival $250 • Listing in the Tampa Bay Times and the Citrus County Chronicle advertising, including the official Floral City Strawberry Festival Tab as a Friend of the Festival. • Company name listed in Chamber publications such as our e-blast to over 1,700 contacts or our periodic news update. • Space for partner banner near entertainment area. [You may provide banner no larger than 3’ x 2’] • Two (2) All Access event passes with backstage VIP parking, stage-side sponsor tent, and unlimited beverages. Notes • Partners provide their own banner to the Chamber to display, please drop –off no later than February 21st, 2025 • Booths are 10 by 10 feet. • Cash and In-Kind sponsors are required to complete form. In-Kind sponsors must receive approval from the Chamber to provide in-kind services in lieu of cash.

Floral City Strawberry Festival Vendor Application / Event Rules TERMS & CONDITIONS Please pay close attention while completing the application to the spacing/price and category section of the application. ONE application for all crafters, artists, Commercial/General Vendors. Category/pricing is listed below. Terms/Conditions apply to ALL applicants. 1. Arts and Crafts: Defined as works made by hand or with the use of simple tools, showing imagination and the mark of the crafts person’s individuality; your skill or craft applied to the product and must contain at least 50% original work that defines it as unique. All arts/crafts displayed/sold at artists/crafters booth must be substantively produced by the hands. Cottage foods and/or farm fresh, farm to table items is approved for the art/craft category. (For example, Candied jalapenos or homemade beef jerky are acceptable). Two-dimensional art such as paintings, prints, or photographs Mixed media work that uses paint and canvas as its primary medium books, written and/or illustrated by the artist/crafter. 2. Commercial, General Vendor, Business: Mold-made, work which has been made with commercial kits, purchased molds, patterns, plans or prefabricated pieces. Commercially manufactured artwork assembled (wholly or in part) from commercially available kits Screenprinted material Dried or silk flower arrangements Apparel (not handmade) including but not limited to retail hats, retail clothing, Direct Marketing Clothing and/or accessories; Embellished commercially made objects (such as T-shirts, hats, sunglasses, note cards, etc.) 3. Direct Marketing/Direct Sales: PLEASE NOTE, if you are a vendor representing a direct marketing and/or direct sales company (i.e., Color Street Nails, Paparazzi, Pampered Chef, etc.) it is your responsibility to notify in the application that you are a representative of said Direct Marketing/Sales. The Chamber Staff cannot be responsible for knowing the rules/regulations of the Direct Sales/Marketing company for which you represent. If the company states no more than one on site, please be sure you note this information in your application. Please place under Special Requests. If a vendor does not provide such information, and there were to be an oversight weekend of the event, the Chamber staff will not be held responsible. Please be sure to provide as much information as possible regarding your direct sales/marketing product. 4. Non-Profit: Vendor space available to 501C3 organizations. One of the following required to submit with application: Letter of 501C3 certification; IRS Letter of Determination; Florida Sales Tax Exemption Letter. Terms and Conditions: The Citrus County Chamber of Commerce thanks you for your interest in the 38th Floral City Strawberry Festival 2025. Please carefully read the following rules necessary for vendors to participate in the event. Submitting this application does not guarantee booth space at the Floral City Strawberry Festival. ALL applications will be reviewed for approval. You will be notified by email as quickly as possible upon approval of your application. Please remember, credit card charged upon approval of the application. Selection/approval is at the sole discretion of the Citrus County Chamber of Commerce. The Citrus County Chamber of Commerce retains the right to reject any vendor application. All applications must be submitted by December 31, 2024. 1. Booth space is sold as 10' L x 10' W. No discount on multiple and/or additional booth spaces. 2. Electricity and water are not available for purchase at this event. If you require electricity, you must use a quiet generator. If you require water, you must make appropriate arrangements to suit your needs. The Citrus County Chamber of Commerce will not be able to accommodate providing electricity or water and should not be relied on for same. 3. Space assignments are made based on the best interest of the event. Vendors may request same location as 2024 and be descriptive of the location and what it is near, there are no guarantee/promises given to vendors as to assigned locations. This application neither implies nor grants any preferential consideration or treatment. 4. Vendors MAY NOT sublet, bring in representation of a secondary commercial or charity to jointly work a vendor booth, switch product line of what's been approved or change the name of what's been approved to be posted to identify the vendor. 5. Event will be held rain or shine. This is an outdoor event with possible uneven terrain, inclement weather, and wind gusts. All tent corners must be properly weighed down and secured. Proper weights include but are not limited to water buckets, cinderblocks, and sandbags. NO STAKES are permitted. The Citrus County Chamber of Commerce is not responsible for providing proper weights, nor is the Citrus County Chamber of Commerce liable for any damage incurred to vendor booths/products during festival hours and/or setup/breakdown. 6. Vehicles (cars, trucks, trailers, golf carts) are NOT part of a vendor space. Vehicles must enter at check-in, receive assigned space/vendor map, drop-off/load-in as quickly as possible. No vehicle will be permitted to remain park at their assigned space while load-in/set up. Please remember, there will be other vendors needing to load-in as well, please be courteous, and move quickly and safely. 7. Vendors MUST be set up and ready to open for business by 9:00 a.m. Saturday morning. No vendor will be permitted to load-in on Saturday, March 1st, or Sunday March 2nd, after 8:30am. You will have to walk your products to your booth. NO VEHICLES! NO CHECK-IN ON SATURDAY, MARCH 1st, 2024! NO VEHICLES AND TRAILERS LEFT ON PREMISES ALLOWED ON PREMISES AFTER FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2024. 8. All vendors are required to be set up, and operating on Saturday & Sunday. This is a two-day event, rain, or shine. There will be no exceptions, must be set up by 8:30am on Saturday, March 1st and Sunday, March 2nd. Break-down/load out will begin at 4pm Sunday the 2nd, following the announcement of ‘all-clear’ from Law Enforcement. 9. Vendors are permitted to transport goods and materials off-premises at the conclusion of each operating day; however, use of motorized vehicles (including golf carts) to transport goods are strictly prohibited on Saturday, and before Law Enforcement announces ‘all-clear’ on Sunday after 4 pm. Additionally, any vendors electing to transport goods and materials off-premises are expected to have their booth fully setup and operational by 8:30 am the following day of the festival. The use of motor vehicles (including golf carts) to transport goods and materials from offpremises to participant’s booth the following morning is strictly prohibited. 10. All vendor tents must(be) solid non-flammable free standing tent in good condition, without tears or stains, and securely weighted down. Tents must have the ability to withstand strong winds. Tents larger than 10x10 must provide a fire inspection, fire retardant (stamp, letter). 11. All vendors are responsible for providing their own supplies needed to operate including, but not limited to, tents, tables, chairs, trash receptacles, trash bags, lighting, weights, etc. 12. No smoking/vaping in the vendor area. Please move away from your vendor space and/or food truck to a smoking area. 13. Booth space must remain clean throughout the weekend. Keep extra inventory, boxes, trash, etc. out of the display area. Vendors must dispose of all trash in one of the event dumpsters. Booth space must be left clean daily; no trash, trash bags, empty boxes or debris may be left behind. Non-compliant vendors are subject to additional clean-up fees, and not permitted to participate in future Chamber festivals, parades and/or special events. 14. Vendor identification signs are restricted to 18" high and shall be no longer than the width of the tent. 15. Absolutely NO materials that link to, show, or infer sexual content, conduct, or encourage illegal or unethical activity. No lewd, lascivious, and/or slanderous materials against any one race, religion, ethnicity and/or political views. NON-COMPLIANT vendors will be asked to immediately shut down their location and be removed from the event (safely at the end of the evening). NONCOMPLIANT vendors will not be invited to return to any Citrus County Chamber of Commerce festivals, parades and/or special events. 16. Vendor booth/ products will resemble the photo depictions submitted with the application both in quality and appearance. 17. Vendors will receive detailed vendor information, including a placement map, check-in time/location of check-in by Thursday, February 28, 2025., via Eventeny email portal. 18. Vendors will be responsible to fully comply with the Florida State Sales Tax Regulations in effect during the period of the event. 19. Event vendor withdraw requests must be submitted in writing/email no later than 60 days prior to the event. Refunds will not be given unless notification is submitted no later than 60 days prior. Refunds will be at the Chamber's discretion. There are NO REFUNDS for vendors who do not show/set-up for the festival. 20. The Citrus County Chamber of Commerce reserves the right to cancel the event in total/ in part. All aspects of the event are subject to modification. We reserve the right to alter the layout and/or move vendors as needed. 21. The sale of live animals, whether it be direct or indirect, at this event is strictly prohibited. NONCOMPLIANT vendors will be asked to immediately shut down their location and be removed from the event. NON-COMPLIANT vendors will not be invited to return to any Citrus County Chamber of Commerce festivals, parades, and/or special events. Some examples of what is not eligible appear below. This does not constitute a complete list: • Commercially manufactured art. • Work assembled (wholly or in part) from commercially available kits. • Two-dimensional art such as paintings, prints, or photographs. • Mixed media work that uses paint and canvas as its primary medium. • Screen-printed material. • Etchings or web or sheet-fed offset printed work. • Works that incorporates materials acquired from the killing of endangered species. • Elephant/mammoth ivory (this includes fossilized ivory). • Dried or silk flower arrangements. • Books. • Apparel (this includes hats). • Bonsai. • Food. • Embellished commercially made objects (such as T-shirts, hats, sunglasses, note cards, etc.). • Vendors may not sell or create items bearing the event name or likeness. If your application is accepted, it will be a commitment to show and remain for the entire event. Vendors who leave before the closing of the event will not be permitted to enter in future festivals. NO EXCEPTIONS. Approximately one week prior to the event, all vendors will receive detailed vendor information, including a placement map. The Chamber expects that the vendor's booth and products will resemble the photo depictions submitted with the application both in quality and appearance. All aspects of the event are subject to modification. We reserve the right to alter the layout and/or move vendors as needed. The Citrus County Chamber of Commerce reserves the right to cancel the event in total or in part. No refunds will be given unless prior notification is received 30 days before the event, no matter the application date. Refunds will be at the Chamber's discretion. There are no refunds for no shows. Vendors will be responsible to fully comply with the Florida State Sales Tax Regulations in effect during the period of the event. Violation of any rules could constitute immediate removal from the event and prohibit attendance at future events. No vehicles will be permitted into the event area for tear down until cleared by the appropriate personnel and the Citrus County Sheriff's Office. No exceptions.