Tampa – Pirate for a Day in Tampa Bay

For more than a century, residents and visitors gather each year in Tampa Bay to celebrate the Gasparilla Festival. Named for José Gaspar, a Spanish-born sailor turned pirate, the annual festival has grown to span three months and includes events for everyone from the most seasoned captains to landlubbers.  

While anytime is a wonderful time to find your inner pirate, dig for treasure on a sandy beach, or toast to new adventures with a glass of rum in Tampa Bay, January to March is known for sunny skies and moderate temperatures. 

So set sail for Tampa Bay! 

Children’s Gasparilla Extravaganza

Pint-sized pirates launch the celebration with the Gasparilla Preschooler’s Stroll, a half-mile path down Bayshore Boulevard. Decorated prams and pull carts toting the tiniest pirates (ages five and under) fill the street for a morning of family adventure. 

Where there are pirates, there are invasions! At noon the Gasparilla Air Invasion occurs, complete with aerobatic teams, military planes, and The Para-Commandos (the U.S. Special Operations Command Parachute Team) to kick off the Children’s Gasparilla Parade. 

Swashbucklers six and up form alliances with more than 40 krewes, marching bands, dancers, and community organizations to lead parade floats and pirate ships to a cannon blast of a night at the Gasparilla “Piratechnic” Extravaganza, the largest fireworks display of the year over the Hillsborough Bay. 

Free. 

Gasparilla Pirate Fest

One week later it’s all hands on deck for the Gasparilla Pirate Fest! Steeped in more than a century of festival tradition, the 165-foot Jose Gasparilla sets sail with a fleet of several hundred ships in search of the Tampa Bay Convention Center. Once docked, the Pirates of Ye Mystic Krewe of Gasparilla lay claim to the key to the city. 

Following the invasion, the Parade of Pirates begins its four-mile celebration down Bayshore Boulevard. Around 300,000 costumed parade watchers line the street, cheering on the pirates and hoping for a share in the treasure trove of beads.

Geared for adults, the party extends into the night with the Gasparilla Pirate Fest Street Festival were pirates from near and far enjoy food and live music. 

Free. 

Photo credit to Keir Magoulas | Visit Tampa Bay

Sant’ Yago Knight Parade

Hosted by the Krewe of the Knights of Sant’ Yago, the Knight Parade begins the February festivities of the Gasparilla Season. Held for more than 40 years in celebration of civic pride, pirates, and lighted floats lay claim to Seventh Street in Tampa Bay’s Historic Ybor City. 

The revelry is suitable for families as well as adults. Over the years this annual fundraising event has provided nearly $3 million in scholarships for local students through the Krewe of the Knights of Sant’ Yago Education Foundation. 

Free.

Photo credit to Visit Tampa Bay.

Gasparilla Distance Classic

A favorite since 1978, the Gasparilla Distance Classic welcomes runners, walkers, and prams to hit the streets of downtown Tampa. Racing pirates can choose from four distances that range between a 5K and a half marathon as well as race combination challenges with finisher medals sure to delight an athletic treasure hunter. 

Medals are not the only treasure to be had at the finish line, prize purses for races total more than $40,000. Award presentations and post-race celebrations take place at Cotanchobee Fort Brooke Park each day over the race weekend. 

Proceeds from the Gasparilla Distance Classic benefit youth organizations around Tampa Bay including the Boys & Girls Clubs of Tampa, Girls Inc. of Pinellas, and The Friends of Tampa Parks & Recreation. 

Registration and additional information can be found at rungasparilla.com. 

Photo credit to Keir Magoulas | Visit Tampa Bay

Gasparilla Festival of the Arts

In March, the celebrations change to a more cultural heading. The Raymond James Gasparilla Festival of the Arts transforms the Julian B. Lane Riverfront Park into an outdoor art museum. For more than 50 years visitors and locals have claimed the real treasure of this festival by experiencing works submitted by premier artists from around the globe. 

Each year over 1,000 artists submit work for the festival, hoping to have their pieces displayed and for their chance of pirate gold, the $15,000 Raymond James Best of Show Award. Art displays range from photography, watercolors, and digital mediums to pottery, paintings, and glass. 

Complete with live music, food, children’s activities, a chalk walk, and a Gasparilla Festival of the Arts Scholastic Showcase that features local young artists, it is a weekend of fun for the discriminating pirate. 

To submit a piece for the festival, please visit gasparillaarts.com. 

Photo credit to Visit Tampa Bay

Gasparilla Music Festival

If you are a salty pirate with a love for the song, the Gasparilla Music festival is sure to delight you. For three days in March, four stages welcome a diverse music scene. Local emerging bands are showcased along with national headliners. Past festivals featured performances by indie rock band Cage the Elephant and the Dirty Dozen Brass Band, a New Orleans-based sensation.

The food at the festival is not to be missed. Local food trucks park alongside set-ups from farm-to-table restaurants and mix with offerings from some of the best fine dining in Tampa Bay. 

In the morning, the Kid’s Fest provides the little ones with yoga sessions and interactive art stations while live music is played on stage. At night, local craft beer and pirate-themed cocktails are served while bands play and festival goers dance or sing along to the music. 

Tickets are $30 USD and up, children 12 and under are free. Tickets and line-ups are available at gasparillamusic.com. 

Photo credit to Keir Magoulas | Visit Tampa Bay

Gasparilla International Film Festival

The most recent addition to the Gasparilla Season is the Suncoast Credit Union Gasparilla International Film Festival (GIFF). It is a celebration of film, community outreach, and social awareness initiatives. The red carpet is rolled out for movie-loving pirates of all ages. 

Over the past 14 years, GIFF has welcomed filmmakers and film buffs alike to view the world, USA, and Florida film premieres. The GIFF is run by a non-profit organization that works to bring the arts, education, and film to Tampa Bay. 

Festival schedules and tickets can be found at gasparillafilmfestival.com. 

Photo credit to Keir Magoulas | Visit Tampa Bay