Special Events Calendar
Chamber Pillar Awards
April 29th, 2022
Citrus Hills Golf & Country Club
Every year the Chamber of Commerce celebrates the "pillars of our community" to recognize excellence in our community and honor those individuals, organizations and businesses that make Citrus County a wonderful place to live, work and play.
Chamber Business Expo
Date TBA
Citrus County Auditorium
9AM - 1PM
The premiere business expo of Citrus County, presents an opportunity for businesses to meet new clients, create new working relationships, and make community connections.
Business Appreciation Month - BAM BBQ
Date TBA
M & B Dairy, 8760 S. Lecanto Highway, Lecanto
This annual event, produced by the Citrus County Chamber of Commerce and hosted by M & B Dairy, is the place to network with local businesses over mouth-watering BBQ prepared by Leon McClellan and the Citrus County Agricultural Alliance. Join 700 of your “best biz buds” as we
celebrate the achievements and contributions of our local businesses to our Citrus County economy and quality of life. Always the third Thursday in October.
Estimated attendance: 700 | Tickets available soon at www.eventbrite.com or at both Chamber offices | www.citruscountychamber.com
Florida Manatee Festival
Saturday, January 14 – Sunday, January 15, 2023
9 a.m. to 5 p.m. 1/15 | 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. 1/16
Both sides of Citrus Ave. from the waterfront at Third Street across US 19 to Crystal Street and surrounding areas, Crystal River
The Florida Manatee Festival, produced by the Citrus County Chamber of Commerce will be celebrating its 34th year in 2021. The Florida Manatee Festival attracts over 20,000 people over two days and has consistently been awarded the “Best of the Best” festival by readers of the Citrus County Chronicle for many years, providing quality entertainment and manatee encounter opportunities for residents and visitors to our community! Musical entertainment on three stages, a beer & wine garden, over 300 booths featuring fine arts and craft artists, business marketplace and local non-profit vendors, two food courts, a huge kid zone, free bus tours to view the manatees and manatee boat tours are available for a small fee.
Estimated attendance: 22,000 | www.gomanateefest.com
Floral City Strawberry Festival
Saturday, March 4, 2023 – Sunday, March 5, 2023
9 a.m. to 5 p.m. 3/5 | 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. 3/6
Floral Park, 9530 South Parkside Avenue, Floral City
The Floral City Strawberry Festival is a salute to local agriculture. Ferris Farms, our local grower, supplies hundreds of flats of strawberries that are made into fresh strawberry shortcakes, and are also sold fresh to festival goers to bring home to make their own strawberry delicacies. The Floral City Strawberry Festival brings over 15,000 people to Floral City to enjoy live entertainment, two kid zones, over 200 arts and craft vendors, a beer & wine garden, pie eating contests, the Little Miss Strawberry Princess Pageant and plenty of food in two food courts. Always the first weekend in March.
Estimated attendance: 16,000 | www.GoStrawberryFest.com
Mermaids & Margaritas Experience
Date TBA
12 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Hunter Springs Park, 18 N.E. 2nd Street, Crystal River
In partnership with the Citrus County Chamber of Commerce, The Mertailor’s Eric Ducharme will feature live mermaids modeling the exquisite custom mermaid and merman tails that his company creates here in Citrus County and ships worldwide. Enjoy the mermaids in and out of the water and get a close up look at each one of a kind tail. Look for a great variety of local food vendors, a beer & wine garden, live entertainment, exciting merchandise vendors, free paddle board rides, a Kid Zone, and frosty Margaritas. Advance tickets only available at Eventbrite.com.
Estimated attendance: 800 | www.mermaidsandmargaritasfestival.com
April 29th, 2022
Citrus Hills Golf & Country Club
Every year the Chamber of Commerce celebrates the "pillars of our community" to recognize excellence in our community and honor those individuals, organizations and businesses that make Citrus County a wonderful place to live, work and play.
Chamber Business Expo
Date TBA
Citrus County Auditorium
9AM - 1PM
The premiere business expo of Citrus County, presents an opportunity for businesses to meet new clients, create new working relationships, and make community connections.
Business Appreciation Month - BAM BBQ
Date TBA
M & B Dairy, 8760 S. Lecanto Highway, Lecanto
This annual event, produced by the Citrus County Chamber of Commerce and hosted by M & B Dairy, is the place to network with local businesses over mouth-watering BBQ prepared by Leon McClellan and the Citrus County Agricultural Alliance. Join 700 of your “best biz buds” as we
celebrate the achievements and contributions of our local businesses to our Citrus County economy and quality of life. Always the third Thursday in October.
Estimated attendance: 700 | Tickets available soon at www.eventbrite.com or at both Chamber offices | www.citruscountychamber.com
Florida Manatee Festival
Saturday, January 14 – Sunday, January 15, 2023
9 a.m. to 5 p.m. 1/15 | 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. 1/16
Both sides of Citrus Ave. from the waterfront at Third Street across US 19 to Crystal Street and surrounding areas, Crystal River
The Florida Manatee Festival, produced by the Citrus County Chamber of Commerce will be celebrating its 34th year in 2021. The Florida Manatee Festival attracts over 20,000 people over two days and has consistently been awarded the “Best of the Best” festival by readers of the Citrus County Chronicle for many years, providing quality entertainment and manatee encounter opportunities for residents and visitors to our community! Musical entertainment on three stages, a beer & wine garden, over 300 booths featuring fine arts and craft artists, business marketplace and local non-profit vendors, two food courts, a huge kid zone, free bus tours to view the manatees and manatee boat tours are available for a small fee.
Estimated attendance: 22,000 | www.gomanateefest.com
Floral City Strawberry Festival
Saturday, March 4, 2023 – Sunday, March 5, 2023
9 a.m. to 5 p.m. 3/5 | 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. 3/6
Floral Park, 9530 South Parkside Avenue, Floral City
The Floral City Strawberry Festival is a salute to local agriculture. Ferris Farms, our local grower, supplies hundreds of flats of strawberries that are made into fresh strawberry shortcakes, and are also sold fresh to festival goers to bring home to make their own strawberry delicacies. The Floral City Strawberry Festival brings over 15,000 people to Floral City to enjoy live entertainment, two kid zones, over 200 arts and craft vendors, a beer & wine garden, pie eating contests, the Little Miss Strawberry Princess Pageant and plenty of food in two food courts. Always the first weekend in March.
Estimated attendance: 16,000 | www.GoStrawberryFest.com
Mermaids & Margaritas Experience
Date TBA
12 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Hunter Springs Park, 18 N.E. 2nd Street, Crystal River
In partnership with the Citrus County Chamber of Commerce, The Mertailor’s Eric Ducharme will feature live mermaids modeling the exquisite custom mermaid and merman tails that his company creates here in Citrus County and ships worldwide. Enjoy the mermaids in and out of the water and get a close up look at each one of a kind tail. Look for a great variety of local food vendors, a beer & wine garden, live entertainment, exciting merchandise vendors, free paddle board rides, a Kid Zone, and frosty Margaritas. Advance tickets only available at Eventbrite.com.
Estimated attendance: 800 | www.mermaidsandmargaritasfestival.com