Mixon Fruit Farms hosts Orange Blossom Festival

MANATEE COUNTY — The smell of orange blossoms is in the air, and local citrus grower Mixon Fruit Farms is inviting the community to celebrate.

Mixon will hold its fourth annual Orange Blossom Festival March 3-9, at the groves, with family-friendly games and entertainment, craft vendors, a health fair and more.

“It’s going to be a lot of fun,” said Janet Mixon, who owns Mixon Fruit Farms with her husband, Dean. “It’s going to be a family affair. We want people to have some place they can come and have a nice time.”

The festival will kickoff from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. March 3-4, with plenty of activities, food, live entertainment, musical and other performances, craft vendors and more. Entry and parking for the festival is free. Tickets for activities, such as a bumper boat ride, rock climbing, pony rides, inflatables and others, can be purchased on site.

Additionally, the festival’s first day will include a circus-act type dog and geese show and performances by the Southeast High School drum line, the Starfire Dancers and the Bulls Eye Ride Country Band. The Dr. Dave Band will perform during festival hours March 4 and also from 6-9 p.m. March 7, for Mixon’s Concert in the Grove.

As part of the festival, Mixon will host its annual Health and Business Fair from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., March 9. The event will feature more than 75 vendors, who will be on hand to discuss health or show off health-related products, and also to provide free diabetes, blood pressure, eye and other screenings.

Additionally at that time, there also will be a book signing for about 20 local authors.

“We’ve got so much talent here,” Janet Mixon said of bringing authors to the event. “They are all books we would have here in the store.”

Mixon’s gift shop, gardens and other amenities will be open throughout the festival, although tram rides through the grove will be suspended March 3-4.

“We’re excited to make this available for people to enjoy,” Mixon’s Events Coordinator Don Sandhoff said of the festival.

Contact Pam Eubanks at [email protected].

IF YOU GO
Mixon Fruit Farms Orange Blossom Festival
WHEN: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. March 3-9
WHERE: Mixon Fruit Farms, 2525 27th St. E., Bradenton
DETAILS: March 3-4 will feature arts and craft vendors, inflatables, rock climbing and other activities for children, live music and other performances and food for purchase, including gyros, Amish doughnuts and more.
COST: Free parking and entry.
WEB: www.mixon.com

Entertainment lineup:
March 3
10-10:45 a.m. — Folk singers Erica and Daniel
11-11:45 a.m. — Geese and dog show
12-12:45 p.m. — Southeast High School drum line
1-1:45 p.m. — Starlight Dancers
2:30-5 p.m. — Bulls Eye Ride Country Band

March 4
10-10:45 a.m. — Folk singers Erica & Daniel
11:15 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. — Country music singer Phoebe Stone
1-1:45 p.m. — Bonnie Gray
2:30-5 p.m. — Dr. Dave Band

March 7
Concert in the Grove
6-9 p.m. — Dr. Dave Band. Admission costs $5.

March 9
Health and Business Fair
11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
The event will feature more than 75 vendors, who will be on hand to discuss health or show off health-related products and to provide free health screenings.
Cost: Free

In-Store Book Signing
11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
About 20 local authors will be on site to sign copies for their books.
Cost: Free