Rock joins country at 2010 Florida Strawberry Festival

The Florida Strawberry Festival's headline entertainment is going beyond country in 2010 to include rock music's REO Speedwagon and Lynyrd Skynyrd, best known for the 1974 Southern anthem "Sweet Home Alabama."

The festival stage will include members of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, including Lynyrd Skynyrd and the Righteous Brothers' Bill Medley, and Country Music Hall of Fame members Roy Clark and Mel Tillis.

The festival is best known as a country music venue but "we worked real hard to get a cross section and something for everyone," festival General Manager Paul Davis said of the 2010 lineup.

The annual celebration of the area's biggest crop is March 4-14 at the festival grounds, 2202 W. Reynolds St.

Entertainer Debbie Reynolds will be featured on the festival's new Red Hat Day on March 9, intended to attract members of the Red Hat Society.

Big-name entertainers include the Country Music Association's 2009 new artist of the year Darius Rucker, former Trick Pony member Heidi Newfield, and singer and two-time "Dancing with the Stars" winner Julianne Hough.

The festival didn't stray far from its roots with such festival favorites as The Oak Ridge Boys, Patty Loveless and Josh Turner. Gospel music star Michael W. Smith also returns to the festival stage.

The lineup also includes comedian Bill Engvall, whose credits include hosting CMT's "Country Home Fried Videos."

"It's probably as diverse as it can be," said festival director Joe Newsome, who has headed the entertainment committee for more than 30 years.

The festival decided to broaden its offerings by bringing in acts that appeal to more than country fans, Newsome said.

The festival attempts to juggle getting the best acts without busting its budget, and often faces an uphill battle because of its limited run and the expense of top entertainers, Newsome said. Many new entertainers prefer to tour with an established act, he said.

"This is our toughest year ever," he said.

After hitting a high of $45 for Taylor Swift's 2008 festival show, top concert prices will recede this year. The most expensive tickets, $25 and $30, are for Lynyrd Skynyrd's March 14 show.

At each headline show, there are about 3,000 free grandstand seats available on a first-come basis.

Reserved-seat prices do not include gate admission, which remains steady at $8 in advance for ages 13 and older and $4 for ages 6 to 12. Children 5 and younger are admitted free with a paying adult. Admission at the gate will be $10 and $5, respectively.

The festival worked to keep prices down for 2010, realizing that times are tough for many of its fans, Davis said.

"We think this is some of the greatest entertainment for the dollar," he said. "For the price of a night out at the movies, a family can enjoy a day of entertainment at the festival."