Strawberry Festival Carnival — Local services in Poteet

Poteet Strawberry Festival – A Sweet Idea with a Sour Aftertaste

When I imagine the Poteet Strawberry Festival, my mind paints a bright, sunny Texas afternoon filled with the smell of fresh strawberries, live country music drifting through the air, smiling families enjoying carnival rides, and tables overflowing with juicy red berries that taste like summer.

The history behind it is charming—this small town, dubbed the Strawberry Capital of Texas, celebrating a crop that helped put it on the map. It all sounds like the perfect blend of nostalgia, family fun, and good old-fashioned Texas pride.

But the reality? Well… it missed the mark.

For starters, the strawberries—the very reason this festival exists—were shockingly hard to find. You’d think they’d be front and center, but instead, you had to hunt for authentic Poteet berries like they were part of a scavenger hunt. And when you finally found them, it was easy to wonder if you were getting the real thing or a lookalike from somewhere else.

The overall layout felt chaotic and unorganized, more like a sprawling flea market with carnival rides than a festival with a unified theme.

The fair food didn’t help the experience. My son ordered fried Oreos—normally a guaranteed hit—and he didn’t even finish them. They were cold, greasy, and sad. The lemonade we got was basically liquid sugar, no real lemon flavor at all.

And the $25 entry fee? Honestly, it felt overpriced for what you get. Between the cost of admission, food, and parking, it adds up fast—and for something that felt more like a swap meet than a specialty festival, it’s hard to justify.

There were music stages and rodeo events, and you could tell some folks were having a good time. But the rest of the experience felt like a missed opportunity.

In short, the Poteet Strawberry Festival sounds magical on paper, with a rich history and an annual turnout that rivals any big event in Texas. But what I experienced felt more like a commercial free-for-all with a strawberry label slapped on top.

If you go, go with managed expectations. But if you're dreaming of baskets of fresh strawberries, warm community vibes, and homemade strawberry shortcake, you might be better off picking your own and having a...

First timers! When we arrived to check in they gave us an an efficient map with event and performance schedules included. Fun event with typical carnival food and prices. If you don’t participate in the carnival, there are many other food vendors and activities within the various stages on the grounds. Honest fun for the whole family with an obvious strawberry theme and many related vendors.

My advice is to be sure to look up the schedule of events and performances ahead of time for the day(s) you plan to visit so you can plan accordingly. Coolers are not allowed but you can bring folding chairs and a wagon to haul them into the park. Wear plenty of sun protection and bring plenty of cash as you’ll need to exchange the cash for tickets to use as currency for most of the food/drink vendors and carnival rides. There are ATMs in various locations but their fees are higher. Parking is vast with four (4) entrances into the grounds from...

There are lots of things to see and enjoy. We are glad we got there by 11. We did get caught up in the parade traffic. The times for the parade were not obvious on the website. Parking was a misleading. Some areas charging 10 others 20 and some areas were free. We were able to buy some amazing strawberries inside the festival. Plenty of festival vendors to browse and a huge selection of food. Restroom buildings were easily accessible. It was hot, dusty and windy but this is Texas. Overall it was a fun experience and we...