Tangerines, Cars, Bands, Pageant and Reptiles

The Inaugural Tangerine Festival

The inaugural Tangerine Festival was held in downtown Brooksville on Saturday, February 15. The event took place throughout downtown, leading to the closure of several streets, including parts of Fort Dade Avenue, Jefferson Street, Broad Street, and Main Street.

The event hosted a car show that attracted visitors from all around to admire classic cars and customized vehicles. Mike from Orlando said he attended the Tangerine Festival because he was looking for an event to go to, and it was the only festival this weekend featuring a car show. He mentioned that he enjoys car shows.

Stir Up the Gift hosted a pageant and talent show featuring categories for all ages, from infants to adults, along with a special category for furry friends. Stir Up The Gift also showcases its members in live performances at events and around the Tampa Bay area.

The giant six-foot tangerine made an appearance at the Tangerine Festival in the back of a pickup. This giant tangerine is lowered at the Tangerine Drop to mark the new year.

For an inaugural event, the Tangerine Festival was well attended. The first event is always a challenge because the public is not sure what to expect.

At the bandshell there were several area bands that played including Draw 4, WOR Women of Rock Tribute Band, and Southbound 75. Nearby, there was a kids section with games, balloons, foam, and face painting.

Some vendors even brought exotic animals like the Hernando Sun with their corgi puppies. John Anderson also had a booth with lots of reptiles, which he brought out and showed passers-by. In the area between the pageant and the car show, there was a petting zoo.

Joe Diez rode his horse Maria around the festival introducing her to interested parties.

There were many activities that appealed to people of all ages.

Brooksville Main Street Director Dawn Triconi said, “The 2025 Tangerine Festival was a resounding success, welcoming over 4,500 attendees for a day filled with community spirit, local arts, fabulous entertainment and vibrant culture. We are grateful for the incredible support from our sponsors, vendors, artists, entertainers and everyone who joined us to bring this new tradition to downtown. Brooksville Main Street looks forward to an even bigger celebration next year!”
Dawn noted that the Tangerine Court will be announced this week and Hernando Sun will bring further details.

Photos from the Tangerine Festival

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