Willie Nelson, Tanya Tucker among headliners for 2023 Florida Strawberry Festival

The Red Headed Stranger is no stranger to the Florida Strawberry Festival stage, and he’s headed back to Plant City next year.

The festival—set for March 2-12, 2023—announced its concert headliners today, and Willie Nelson is among the highlights. Another classic country superstar, Tanya Tucker, is also on the schedule along with Lynyrd Skynyrd and The Gatlin Brothers.

Christian-pop heavyweight For King & Country is also headed to Plant City, along with Train, Josh Turner, Sara Evans, Keith Sweat, Wayne Newton, CeCe Winans and more. See the full schedule below.

Some of the shows are free with admission, and tickets to headlining concerts at Plant City’s 2023 Strawberry Festival start at $25. Tickets go on sale Thursday, Dec. 8 at 8 a.m. via flstrawberryfestival.com. Tickets are also available by phone (813-754-1996) or in person at the Florida Strawberry Festival ticket office located at 2209 W. Oak Avenue in Plant City.

All prices are in addition to gate admission, which is $5-$10. Children five and under are free with a paid adult.

Nelson, 89, last played the Strawberry Festival in 2019, and this appearance will be his first in Plant City since the heartbreaking death of Willie’s sister, a vaunted pianist who toured with her younger brother’s band until her death last March at the age of 91.

Tucker, for her part, is in the midst of a career resurgence after being largely inactive for almost 20 years. The 64-year-old “Delta Dawn” singer recently re-entered the studio with Brandi Carlile and Shooter Jennings who helped Tucker re-emerge with her 25th studio album, While I’m Livin’, which earned two Grammy awards in 2020.

Thursday, March 2
10:30 a.m. Jimmy Sturr & His Orchestra (free)
3:30 p.m. The Oak Ridge Boys Front Porch Singin’ Tour ($30)
7:30 p.m TBA

Friday, March 3
3:30 p.m Willie Nelson ($50)
7:30 p.m Halestorm ($45)

Saturday, March 4
3:30 p.m. Sara Evans ($35)
7:30 p.m TBA

Sunday, March 5
3:30 p.m. The Gatlin Brothers ($25)
7:30 p.m TBA

Monday, March 6
3:30 p.m. Neal McCoy ($30)
7:30 p.m Josh Turner ($35)

Tuesday, March 7
3:30 p.m.
Roots & Boots: Aaron Tippin w/Collin Raye/Sammy Kershaw ($35)
7:30 p.m. CeCe Winans ($25)

Wednesday, March 8
3:30 p.m. Tanya Tucker ($35)
7:30 p.m TBA

Thursday, March 9
10:30 a.m. Bill Haley, Jr. and the Comets (free)
3:30 p.m. Tommy James & the Shondells ($35)
7:30 p.m. for King & Country ($40)

Friday, March 10
3:30 p.m. Wayne Newton ($40)
7:30 p.m. Train ($50)

Saturday, March 11
3:30 p.m. Sawyer Brown ($30)
7:30 p.m. Keith Sweat ($40)

Sunday, March 12
3:30 p.m. Country Gold Tour: Leroy Van Dyke w/T.G. Sheppard/Mandy Barnett /T. Graham Brown ($35)
7:30 p.m. Lynyrd Skynyrd ($60)

This article appears in Nov 10-16, 2022.