Strawberry shortcake one step closer to becoming Florida's official state dessert
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PLANT CITY, Fla. - People who want to pay tribute to Florida while finishing up a meal might have to order two desserts.
Florida already has a state pie — key lime — and the Senate on Thursday unanimously voted to make strawberry shortcake the official state dessert.
A House version of the bill has one more committee stop before being heard by the full chamber.
Republican Sen. Danny Burgess called his bill a "berry important piece of legislation." Burgess represents Plant City, which is the heart of Florida’s strawberry industry.
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The region has 10,000 acres of strawberry fields. In order to make the bill sweeter for the state’s dairy farmers, strawberry shortcake would have to be topped with Florida-made whipped cream in order to qualify as the official dessert. Scientists are even trying to grow the "white strawberry" in east Hillsborough County.
The annual Florida Strawberry Festival takes place in Plant City. This year, it will take place March 3-13. The event draws over 500,000 people across 11 days. Last year, the organizers canceled the headline entertainment due to the pandemic.
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Advance tickets for admission to the festival and to the shows are on sale. They can be purchased online at www.flstrawberryfestival.com, at the Amscot Main Ticket Office located at 2209 W. Oak Avenue in Plant City, and over the phone at 813-754-1996.
You can learn more about the 87th Annual Florida Strawberry Festival here.
The Associated Press contributed to this story