By LINDA CHION KENNEY
Weeks away from the summer’s grandest celebration, Hillsborough County Fair officials are gearing up for its first-ever fourth of July family festival, set to cap off with a drone show display of patriotic pride.
“Catch the Spirit & Celebrate America” is the slogan for the holiday observance, which kicks off roughly one hour after the final floats take their pass in the annual Greater Brandon Fourth of July Parade, set to run 10 a.m. to around noon.
The parade last year netted awards for two groups with south Hillsborough County ties. Slingshots of Tampa Bay and the Waterset Oilers, respectively, won the entry awards for Best Overall and Best Youth Cheerleaders. The Hillsborough County Fair Board of Directors won the award for Best Professional Float.
Now, with its tie-in to the parade, the family festival at the fairgrounds, featuring craft and food vendors, is set to start at 1 p.m. and end with the 9 p.m. start of the SkyElements drone show. Also on tap throughout the day is a Kid Zone with inflatables and petting zoo, Little Miss & Mr. Firecracker Pageant, pet costume parade, antique car show, watermelon-eating contest and live entertainment from the Ridge Country and Eric Von bands.
Admission is free, and the cost to park is $10, “but if you pay to park, you can come and go all day if you wish,” said Suzanne Holcombe, the fair’s executive director. “Come in after the parade to eat, go home and rest, and come back for a contest or the drone show later that night.” As for the food, expect the expected, including corn dogs, hamburgers, barbeque, smoothies and ices. Add to the mix fried apple and cherry pie, “which I’m really excited about,” Holcombe said.
The fair director made her comments May 30 at the fairgrounds, where Hillsborough County Commissioner Michael Owen hosted a town hall meeting that included informative booths for a number of county departments and agencies, including supervisor of elections, code and enforcement, and parks and recreation.
In attendance was Betty Jo Tompkins, 2023 Riverview Citizen of the Year and a member of the fair’s board of directors. She serves as well as vice president of the newly formed Greater Brandon Action Network (GBAN), the nonprofit that has taken over the responsibility of running the parade, which for more than 60 years had been under the auspices of the Community Roundtable, founded as the Presidents Roundtable of Greater Brandon Charities.
“Betty Jo came to me to talk about the fair’s event, and I said anything we can do to extend the Fourth of July is a good thing,” Owen said. “The Fourth of July is such a big day and people in this community are so patriotic.” As for the patriotic drone show, “I’ve never seen one,” Owen said. “I don’t know how many drones you have to have to make it look like fireworks, but I’m really looking forward to finding out.”
Rounding out the GBAN board leadership is Lisa Rodriguez, president; Randall Munsters, treasurer and parade chair; and Lela Lilyquist, secretary and parade co-chair. The group, along with interested parties and volunteers, including youth seeking community service hours, meets 6:30 p.m. Wednesdays at the First Presbyterian Church off Bloomingdale Avenue in Valrico.
According to Rodriguez, parade entries run the gamut from the pickup truck hauling a flatbed float to a professional, rental float, with everything in between, including walking units, bands, dancers and politicians serving in and/or running for office.
“We max out at 100 entries,” Rodriguez. “The deadline is fast-approaching, so reach out to us quickly if you have an interest.” The numbers to call are 813-380-6995 and 813-685-5880.
The parade route starts at the corner of Lumsden Road and Parsons Avenue, where B. Lee Elam for decades had his law offices. It’s now the home of Reed & Reed attorneys. Elam is this year’s parade grand marshal.
“We have people from FishHawk, Riverview, south Hillsborough County and more participate in our Greater Brandon area parade, and now with the draw of the festival at the fairgrounds, there’s even a greater reason for people outside of Brandon proper to participate,” Rodriguez said. “The parade’s tradition dates back more than 60 years, and now as we celebrate old traditions, it’s time to set new ones, including with the area’s first-ever patriotic drone show.”
Rodriguez said the parade is a great way for small and larger businesses and nonprofits to show their community pride. “It’s a great way to get your name out there,” she said. “It’s like a walking billboard in front of thousands of people watching you pass by.”
: Linda Chion Kenney
Hillsborough County Commissioner Michael Owen, holding a promotional sign for “Catch the Spirit & Celebrate America,” poses with fair officials, from left, Betty Jo Tompkins, Suzanne Holcombe and Gene Holcombe.
As for the fairgrounds, Holcombe said, the festival is another way to showcase one of the county’s best-kept secrets. It’s home to the annual Hillsborough County Fair, which this year runs Oct. 31 to Nov. 11, and which last year reportedly saw record-breaking attendance, youth livestock participation and livestock sales.
Moreover, fairgrounds space is used and rented out for a myriad of reasons, including rodeos, rabbit shows and community and private events. Upcoming events include the annual Back To School Bash (Aug. 3), Tampa Bay Festival of Lights & Santa’s Village (Nov. 28 to Dec. 29) and Back Porch Jam (March 21-22), featuring a Kansas City Barbeque Society (KCBS) professional and backyard barbeque contest.
For more on the fairgrounds, rentals and events, including the Fourth of July festival, visit www.hillsboroughcountyfair.com/. The address is 215 Sydney Washer Road. Call 813-737-3247.