By LISA STARK
IISA President JoAnn Arnold delivers the welcome speech to members. Lisa Stark photos.
Lifelong veterans of the carnival business, from left, Richard Johnson, Floyd Bradbury and Chris Christ.
Kids of the carnival, from left, Sophia, Shelly, Steven and Samuel Franks.
Jackie Kennedy, winner of the coveted Easter Bunny cake.
Carla Rigsby with gift basket to be raffled off to a lucky winner.
Family members, from top left, Carey Ann Harvey and Nina Harvey; front row, 3-year-old Chance Warren and 1-year-old Layla Wier.
Father Mike Juran, chaplain for the IISA club, with Paul Jeonnotte.
Baked goods are displayed by Mike Shulman, left, and Mary Leonard.
In a festive feast that was packed with a full house of members, the Showmen’s Club held their annual Hit the Road Barbecue on Sunday, March 20, at the International Independent Showmen’s Association (IISA) club grounds, bidding farewell to all the carnival pros getting ready to embark on individual journeys on the road. Hearty portions of barbecued chicken and ribs were served, along with potato salad, baked beans, veggies and plenty of home-baked desserts, while the Randy McNeeley band played a lively set of Southern rock for the attendees.
“This is our way of saying goodbye to everyone before we leave to go out to work for the summer,” said IISA President JoAnn Arnold. “I want to give special thanks to all the volunteers who helped make this event happen.”
Summer is the season for workers in the carnival and circus industries to travel the U.S. to practice their trade in fairs and festivals across the country. “This is the end of the big activity at the Showmen’s Club,” said one member. “But it’s just the beginning of the busy season for most of us.”
Throughout the months of October through April, there are plenty of events and activities at the IISA, with signature events like the Bike Fest in January and the Super Extravaganza and Trade Show in February. But in the spring and summer, the activity at the club shuts down, as members go back to work.
The IISA is a nonprofit, private organization that began in 1966 and has since grown to be the largest Showmen’s Association in the United States, consisting of more than 4,500 members from all over the world. The IISA donates thousands of dollars each year to charitable organizations as well as awarding scholarships to those in the outdoor amusement business industry.
Known to most locals as the “Gibtown Showmen’s Club,” where folks can find fun and camaraderie with their colleagues in the business, it has become a popular venue for big parties and events, many of which are open to the general public.
“Everyone here knows each other, and they treat my kids like their own,” said Teresa Franks, who was in attendance at the barbecue with husband Jeramey and children Sophia, Shelly, Steven and Samuel. Also present were Richard Johnson, Floyd Bradbury and Chris Christ, who together possess 150 combined years serving in the carnival industry.
The IISA is at 6915 Riverview Drive in Gibsonton. For more information, visit their website www.gibtownshowmensclub.com or call 813-677-3590.
