Roar into the new year with the 21st annual Gibtown Bike Fest, on track for three days of live entertainment and thrilling stunts, with a portion of the proceeds benefiting a scholarship program named for a south Hillsborough County deputy killed in an off-duty crash.
The annual event is one of three major draws the International Independent Showmen’s Association (IISA) presents in the early weeks of the new year. That’s when the local and long-established community of carnival, fair, festival and circus workers are on break from the rigors of cross-country travels in the entertainment industry.
Indeed, Gibsonton has been the winter home for carnival workers for roughly 100 years. According to two-time IISA past president Lee Stevens, this migration began in part with Eddie’s Hut, a gathering spot opened by Eddie and Grace Lemay in the late 1920s. As key figures in the carnival industry, the Lemay’s helped spread the word that Gibsonton was a great location for show people in the off-season.
As for the long-established Gibtown Bike Fest, the biggest draw is the different bands, playing continuous music somewhere on some stage throughout the event. The event features free parking and $10 gate admission…