One of Gulfports biggest festivals begins Saturday, and local shop owners arent only excited for the festivities, theyre also looking forward to the impact it could have on business.

"People are quirky and different and everybody is happy to see everybody and so friendly," said Maria Marsden, owner of Fashion to the Rescue.

"Quirky and fun, eclectic," said Barbara Banno, owner of Stella's Fine Diner.

For a quirky little town comes a quirky little festival.

"It's the party of the year down here in Gulfport, so everybody is just gearing up for a lot of fun," said Banno.

The star of the event: a gecko.

"Something about a cool sunglasses-wearing, surfing gecko appeals to the people around here," said Dylan Miller, a chef at Gulfport Brewery.

"There's not really anything quite like this

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