When Drew Knotts reigns over the Florida Strawberry Festival next month, she will fulfill a dream fueled by her babysitters who were former Florida Strawberry Festival queens.
11 Months Ago
10 Months Ago
More than a Year ago
Her earliest memories of wanting to serve on the royal court started around the age of 3, when the former queens — including Katie Butson (Sharer), Alison Archbell and her cousin, Chelsea Bowden — would bring their jeweled crowns over for Knotts to play with.
"I would be the strawberry queen for the day," Knotts said. "We would play dress up. Ever since then, I’ve really just looked up to the strawberry queen. I’ve wanted to be her, I’ve wanted the title, I’ve wanted to represent Plant City."
The dream came true on Jan. 21 when Knotts, the granddaughter of 1953 Florida Strawberry Festival Queen Ruby Jean Redman, earned the title.
"My grandmother has a hallway full of old pictures of my mom and her sisters from when they were growing up," Knotts said. "And her Strawberry Queen photos are on the wall. It’s so cool because she was in the same pageant. Every time we see it, we ask her about it. She’s been able to tell us all these stories from how it changed over time."
Knotts, captain of the Plant City High School varsity soccer team, almost wasn’t able to compete. Three weeks before the pageant, she was on crutches after having knee surgery in December.
"But I set goals, we got into physical therapy and I worked really hard."
With the title, Knotts broke a record: three Florida Strawberry Festival queens from one family, joining her grandmother and Bowden, who won in 2012.
"It’s never been three times in a family before," Knotts said. "I couldn’t be happier. I think that’s honestly a once in a lifetime thing. I’m just so thankful my grandmother was able to come. It’s something our family has looked forward to me doing, and it’s another thing we can bond over."
Contact Emily Topper at etopper@plantcityobserver.com.
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