Gulfport celebrates 25 years of Geckofest
August 29, 2025 at 5:00 AM EDT
Saturday's event features a Mardi Gras-style walking parade down Beach Boulevard. The more outrageous your costume, the better.
The Gulfport Geckofest celebrates a quarter century Saturday. Considering the beating the waterfront city got from last fall’s twin hurricanes, the 25th anniversary of Gulfport’s big bash takes on even more significance.
It’s a victory party.
Named for – although no one really remembers why – the small, harmless nocturnal lizards that live in pretty much every Florida home, Geckofest includes artisans, vendors, street performers, lots and lots of live music and a Mardi Gras-style walking parade down Beach Boulevard. Participants are encouraged to wear costumes, the more outrageous, the better.
Festival hours are 10 a.m.-8 p.m. The parade steps off at 6 p.m.
As per tradition, the parade will prominently feature a Gecko Queen, who reigns over not just the festival but additional parades and public events over the next year. “Somebody said to me the other day – and it hadn’t really dawned on me – that once you’re a queen, you’re always a queen,” said Leslie Gilchrist, the 2025 Gecko Queen. “They call on the former queens to participate in different things, so you get to kind of keep a little bit going.”
Leslie Gilchrist (768x768, AR: 1.0)
After a period of public voting, Gilchrist was crowned at the Aug. 23 Gecko Ball. In keeping with this year’s festival motto, “25 Years and Still Weird,” she proudly wore her favorite hat, a garish Carmen Miranda number with mile-high fruit, to the ball.
Gilchrist, who works for SIK Promotions (the festival’s producer), was president of the Gulfport Merchants Association and sits on the board of its current iteration, the Merchants Chamber, a sponsor of Geckofest. She’s lived in Gulfport for 20 years.
“Gulfport is very unique,” she believes. “It’s unique in its economy, its community, everything about it. And I think that a lot of people come not really knowing what they’re going to find. But most people are just … tickled when they get to Gulfport.
“It has its own charm and its own quirkiness. It’s a magical place, I think.”
She was a local shopowner for a decade, and now creates and sells T-shirts, caps and other local “merch” at the Beach Bazaar, Art in the Yard and other events. Some things say “If you’re too weird for Gulfport, you’re just too weird.” Others: “Keep Gulfport weird.” Some feature her original creation, a yellow cartoon character called Suncoast Sunbutt.
Among the many booths at Saturday’s festival: A setup from WFTS (Tampa Bay 28, formerly known as ABC Action News). Meteorologist Denis Phillips – the bay area’s very own Hurricane Whisperer – is scheduled to be there from 2:30 until 8 p.m. Others from the TV station will be in attendance, too. The WFTS booth will be at Beach Boulevard and 30th Avenue S.
Naturally, Gulfport’s restaurants, bars and cafes will be open for business. “It is a party, but it’s not a drunken party,” Gilchrist said. “It’s more of a ‘cut loose and be silly’ party. Keep Gulfport weird, be fun.”
What’s key to the whole shebang, insisted Gecko Queen ’25, is showing support and appreciation for Gulfport. “We have a lot of businesses coming back. That’s really important.
“Everybody asks me what my ‘platform’ is going to be, or whatever. I don’t know what you call it. But I will just say I really appreciate people shopping local, because it’s crucial for our recovery for people to spend their money locally.”
Find more info at this link.
This content provided in partnership with StPeteCatalyst.com
(526x681, AR: 0.7723935389133627)
It’s a victory party.
Named for – although no one really remembers why – the small, harmless nocturnal lizards that live in pretty much every Florida home, Geckofest includes artisans, vendors, street performers, lots and lots of live music and a Mardi Gras-style walking parade down Beach Boulevard. Participants are encouraged to wear costumes, the more outrageous, the better.
Festival hours are 10 a.m.-8 p.m. The parade steps off at 6 p.m.
As per tradition, the parade will prominently feature a Gecko Queen, who reigns over not just the festival but additional parades and public events over the next year. “Somebody said to me the other day – and it hadn’t really dawned on me – that once you’re a queen, you’re always a queen,” said Leslie Gilchrist, the 2025 Gecko Queen. “They call on the former queens to participate in different things, so you get to kind of keep a little bit going.”
Leslie Gilchrist (768x768, AR: 1.0)
After a period of public voting, Gilchrist was crowned at the Aug. 23 Gecko Ball. In keeping with this year’s festival motto, “25 Years and Still Weird,” she proudly wore her favorite hat, a garish Carmen Miranda number with mile-high fruit, to the ball.
Gilchrist, who works for SIK Promotions (the festival’s producer), was president of the Gulfport Merchants Association and sits on the board of its current iteration, the Merchants Chamber, a sponsor of Geckofest. She’s lived in Gulfport for 20 years.
“Gulfport is very unique,” she believes. “It’s unique in its economy, its community, everything about it. And I think that a lot of people come not really knowing what they’re going to find. But most people are just … tickled when they get to Gulfport.
“It has its own charm and its own quirkiness. It’s a magical place, I think.”
She was a local shopowner for a decade, and now creates and sells T-shirts, caps and other local “merch” at the Beach Bazaar, Art in the Yard and other events. Some things say “If you’re too weird for Gulfport, you’re just too weird.” Others: “Keep Gulfport weird.” Some feature her original creation, a yellow cartoon character called Suncoast Sunbutt.
Among the many booths at Saturday’s festival: A setup from WFTS (Tampa Bay 28, formerly known as ABC Action News). Meteorologist Denis Phillips – the bay area’s very own Hurricane Whisperer – is scheduled to be there from 2:30 until 8 p.m. Others from the TV station will be in attendance, too. The WFTS booth will be at Beach Boulevard and 30th Avenue S.
Naturally, Gulfport’s restaurants, bars and cafes will be open for business. “It is a party, but it’s not a drunken party,” Gilchrist said. “It’s more of a ‘cut loose and be silly’ party. Keep Gulfport weird, be fun.”
What’s key to the whole shebang, insisted Gecko Queen ’25, is showing support and appreciation for Gulfport. “We have a lot of businesses coming back. That’s really important.
“Everybody asks me what my ‘platform’ is going to be, or whatever. I don’t know what you call it. But I will just say I really appreciate people shopping local, because it’s crucial for our recovery for people to spend their money locally.”
Find more info at this link.
This content provided in partnership with StPeteCatalyst.com
(526x681, AR: 0.7723935389133627)