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Show Kicks Off Festival

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By RAY REYES, The Tampa Tribune

Published: February 9, 2008

PLANT CITY - In a narrow walkway behind a red curtain, Holly Farmer was teaching her protege how to strut on the runway.

Farmer demonstrated how to gracefully turn with hands placed on the hips, how to slip a jacket off the shoulders in slinky slow-motion and how to own an audience.

"Think of something that gives you attitude," Farmer, 43, said to 20-year-old Sommer Hinson. "And work it."

Farmer and Hinson were two of 83 models who strolled down the runway Jan. 31 at the Florida Strawberry Festival's annual fashion show and luncheon.

The show marks the official kickoff of the Florida Strawberry Festival, which begins Feb. 28 and runs through March 9. More than 600 people attended the luncheon, the largest audience in the event's 31-year history, show chairwoman Linda Walden said.

"This is very exciting," Walden said backstage, while models as young as 1 month old were primped, coddled and fussed over by their mothers or grandmothers. "There's a lot of energy."

The ones who should be the most excited are the children, said Shannon Davis, who was crowned Florida strawberry festival queen in 2002. As Davis styled her hair in a makeshift dressing room near the stage, she said seeing children dress up and enjoying themselves keeps bringing her back to participate in the fashion show.

"The kids are so adorable," Davis, 23, said. "I love seeing them prance around. Not every child has an opportunity to do something like this. It gets them out of their shell."

The spotlight fell on the children when the show started and a gaggle of toddlers, teenagers and all ages between modeled clothing from nine Plant City boutiques and stores. Models choose their outfits from the sponsor stores, Walden said, and also whether or not they prefer to go casual, semiformal or formal.

The show, which was themed Lights, Camera, Fashion, as a play off the 2008 festival's Lights, Camera, Action theme, was capped by appearances from this year's Junior Royalty and 2007 strawberry festival queen Summer Pippin and her court.

Minutes before showtime, Holly Farmer, who said she modeled for eight years and participated in the strawberry fashion show six times, was dishing out pointers. Farmer reminded Hinson, who was appearing in her first show, to take her time.

"First-timers have a tendency to go fast," Farmer said. "The best part of modeling is the strut."

"It's great advice," Hinson said. She added of the show, "This is a great event. It's very glamorous."

Former strawberry queen Davis also offered advice to novices.

"Just have fun and smile and wave," Davis said. "It's a fashion show you can have fun with."

Reporter Ray Reyes can be reached at (813) 865-4433 or rreyes@tampatrib.com.

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