Strawberry Festival Returns Thursday

After taking a break in 2012 due highway construction on U.S. 17 in Mount Pleasant, the annual Strawberry Festival at Boone Hall Plantation returns Thursday to the delight of thousands.

And it's back bigger than ever, according to organizers. The festival for 2013 has been expanded to be presented over four days including being open at night for the first time in addition to the normal daytime schedule. 

The 2013 Lowcountry Strawberry Festival opens Thursday and wraps on Sunday. It features more than 30 attractions of all kinds and sizes for all ages.

Rides geared for the thrill seeker crowd will be part of the mix, as well as a number of fun rides for families and children. The event will also feature pig races, magic shows, vendors, a variety of festival type foods, and of course, U-Picking of strawberries during event daytime hours.

The festival is being presented in cooperation with the South Carolina Department of Agriculture’s Certified S.C. Grown program and the town of Mount Pleasant. 

Admission prices have been reduced from prior years. General admission is $5 for ages 12 and up. Tickets for children 3 to 11 years old are $3. Children younger than 2 years old are admitted at no charge with an adult.

Here's the schedule:

Opening Night Thursday, April 18 - 6p.m. to 11 p.m.
Student Night Friday, April 19 -  4 p.m. to Midnight
Saturday, April 20 - 10 a.m. to Midnight
Sunday, April 21 - Noon to 7 p.m.

The festival kicks off on Thursday with student night. Wrist bands that allow visitors to ride absolutely everything are priced for at only $10 for this one night only. The wrist band special will be available for all age groups. 

Save $5 per ride wrist band on advance online purchases for use on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. On those days, online tickets are $15 online and $20 at the gate. The online tickets are good for any one of those three days, but the wrist bands are not valid for multiple days.

Individual tickets will also be sold at the event if the choice is to pay for the rides individually instead purchasing a wrist band. The number of tickets required for each ride will vary. These tickets will be $1 each.    

Event goers can buy admission and ride wrist bands in advance online and a special Q & A section answers questions at boonehallplantation.com.There will be an Express Ticket Line for online purchasers that will provide faster service to receive wrist bands and admission into the event.