GREEN COVE SPRINGS – Last year’s Strawberry Fest was, by any measure, successful. Probably too successful. 

Organizers had to call for a second tractor-trailer load of strawberries one hour after the gates opened at the Clay County Fairgrounds on the first of the two-day event. The line to get in stretched for 200 yards. And the traffic, oh let’s say it was monumental. 

Strawberry Fest returns to the fairgrounds Saturday and Sunday, March 7-8, with plans to make this year’s event as sweet as shortcake. 

The biggest issue a year ago was a lack of off-duty sheriff’s office deputies and community service officers, especially directing traffic in and out of the parking lots. 

Unlike the Clay County Agricultural Fair where guests generally spend several hours, patrons attend the Strawberry Fest about 90 minutes. That created a lot of come-and-go traffic along State Road 16, which prompted a standoff of cars trying to simultaneously leave and cars trying to enter. 

Soon, everyone became logjammed, and nobody moved for nearly three hours. Traffic backed up to Penney Farms to the west and to the Historic Triangle to the east. The sheriff’s office eventually shut down the Fest on Saturday until it gained control of the traffic. 

Buckler Shows, which promotes the event, has agreed to hire more off-duty deputies. Moreover, they will employ the same parking plan used during the fair with cars entering the main entrance on SR 16 and leaving through a side gate on Springbank Road. 

The goal is to put the focus back on the ruby-red strawberries, which have already been through a tumultuous winter. 

According to the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, preliminary estimates of the damaging freeze events in January and February cost the strawberry industry about $3 billion in lost and damaged crops. 

However, farmers in Plant City used water to create an insulating icy shell that released latent heat to spare the plants. The freezes cost farmers there about 15% of their crops, but not enough to dramatically affect scheduled festivals around the state. 

In fact, one of the effects of the colder weather is sweeter berries. 

Clay County berries come from Plant City. 

Events this year include arts and crafts, live music, monster truck rides, axe throwing, a pie-eating contest, bounce houses, a free cirque show, bungee jumping, strawberry shortcake, fudge and lemonade, a berry cute baby contest, pony rides, photo opportunities, rock painting, train rides, a Hula Hoop contest, face painting, sack racing, petting farms, food trucks, corn hole, children’s games and, of course, strawberries. 

Hours are Saturday 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. 

Admission is $7, cash only. You can download a free $1 off coupon at claycountyfest.com or you can get $1 off by donating one can of food for the Food Pantry of Green Cove Springs. 

A portion of the profits will benefit the Florida Guardian Ad Litem Office.