The Tent City tradition started as a quest for relief from the Florida sun.
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CLEWISTON – The Clewiston Sugar Festival brings thousands of people to Civic Park, with many eager to find seats close to the stage to enjoy the concerts and entertainment. But near the back of the spectator area, others will chose to enjoy the music from the shade of Tent City.
The Tent City tradition started as a quest for relief from the Florida sun. People tried to set up shade tents because they wanted some shade. But others complained the tents blocked their view.
The festival committee decided on a compromise, allowing a limited number of shade tents to be set up only in the designated area which came to be known as “Tent City.”
The area has room for about 200 shade tents, which are limited to 10x10-foot spaces. Some spots are reserved for festival sponsors. Others are given as prizes in Chamber of Commerce contests or sold in silent auctions for fundraisers.
The remaining tent spots are raffled off. Anyone can purchase a raffle ticket for $5. A person can increase their odds of winning by purchasing multiple tickets, but can only win one tent spot. The raffle drawing is the Monday before the festival and the winners notified of their designated spots. Tents must be set up on the Friday before the festival and must be taken down Saturday evening after the festival ends.
Tickets for the 2023 Tent City spaces will be sold at the Clewiston Chamber of Commerce on Wednesday, March 8, Thursday, March 8 and Friday, March 10 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., and on Saturday, March 11 from 9 a.m. to noon. Tickets can also be purchased as the Clewiston Youth Center on Sunday, March 12, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. The lottery drawing winners will be posted on the clewistonsugarfestival.com website on March. 15.