Gasparilla Pirate Fest – A Savvy Celebration of the Seven Seas for 2023
Throughout the late 18th and early 19th centuries, the coastal waters of West Florida were terrorized by the notorious pirate Jose Gaspar. However, what began as something fearful has turned into something festive: every year, the city of Tampa now throws the Gasparilla Pirate Fest, an elaborate festival with live entertainment, parades, and street vendors to celebrate the city’s checkered past.
Happening on Saturday, January 28, 2023, this Tampa pirate party is a day packed with fun for the whole family. So, hoist the mainsail and get ready for a great time!
An Intimidating Invasion
This annual reenactment of Tampa’s historic pirate invasion kicks off the festival’s full schedule of pirate-themed events. Over 750 swashbucklers invade Tampa Bay on a majestic pirate ship, the Jose Gasparilla – the only remaining fully-rigged pirate ship in the world!
The Jose Gasparilla will float into the Bay at 11:30 a.m. sharp, filled from deck to crow’s nest with swashbuckling pirates in full costume and trailed by hundreds (if not thousands) of boats. The entourage sets sail at the south end of Hillsborough Bay, heads north to the Seddon Channel, and eventually docks at the Tampa Convention Center.
As the vibrantly-decorated flotilla comes ashore, the Mayor of Tampa surrenders the key to the city to the captain of Ye Mystic Krewe of Gasparilla – as any sensible mayor who values his life would do! Their victory was secured, the captain and his crew proceed to celebrate by having a parade.
Savor a Hearty Meal as You Watch the Show
The Gasparilla Invasion is free to the public, but the best place to watch it is at the Gasparilla Invasion Brunch at the Tampa Convention Center.
Enjoy a full selection of baked goods, seasonal fruit and cheeses (both imported and domestic), salads, and a hot brunch buffet with selections like bananas foster French toast, biscuits and gravy, and scrambled eggs. There’s also a carving station, roasted chicken and seasonal vegetables, and a selection of beverages like brewed coffee, gourmet tea, chilled juices, and more.
If you can’t make it to the Tampa Convention Center for brunch, there are plenty of other places in downtown Tampa for you to enjoy the levity and raucous fun of the invasion and parade. Look for brunch reservations at the numerous waterfront hotels, eateries, and other local spots along Davis Island and Harbour Island. With a bite to eat and an excellent vantage point, the Gasparilla Parade 2023 is bound to be the best one yet!
Gasparilla Parade of Pirates
While the Gasparilla Invasion is certainly a show-stopping event all by itself, what follows is even more thrilling!
The Captain of the Jose Gasparilla and his Krewe celebrate their capture of Tampa by showing off their newfound wealth – glittering beads, treasures, and golden doubloons. However, in uncharacteristic generosity, these pirates will actually share these goodies during the lively parade, happily allowing locals and visitors to plunder the loot!
To do this, they wind their way through the city’s historic streets and downtown Tampa, all while decked out in colorful costumes and playing festive music. Some of those sea shanties really slap!
The 4.5-mile-long parade snakes through town for 4 hours (from 2:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.), creating an afternoon full of photo ops and laughter.
Believe it or not, this is the 3rd largest parade in the United States! This pirate processional regularly draws in over 300,000 attendees, many in period-themed pirate garb. It’s one of the best opportunities for people-watching you could possibly ask for. Look for the best costume or the most outlandish display of swashbuckling spirit in the midst of this fun cavalcade.
The parade boasts over 100 elaborately-decorated floats, five marching bands, and over 50 distinct pirate krewes, all decked out and ready for wild levity. You’ll have a hard time choosing your favorite! Just make sure to bring a camera and a smile.
Gasparilla Pirate Fest Street Festival
After the parade, the crowd breaks into a street festival, where swashbuckling activities continue late into the evening. All along the Riverwalk in downtown Tampa, you’ll find stages with live entertainment before and after the parade. It’s the perfect chance to get some fresh air, enjoy the weather, and amble along the Riverwalk as you take in the scene. If the mood strikes you, hop into the crowd for some live music and dancing!
If food and shopping are more your speed, you’ll find plenty of that, too. Street vendors and eateries set up shop between the stages, welcoming hungry visitors all day long.
Put On Your Best Pirate Swag
If you’re looking to make the most of the Gasparilla Pirate Fest, we recommend dressing up like a pirate! (You can talk like a pirate, too, if you want.) It’s a great way to immerse yourself in the crowd and make the day feel extra special.
You can have tons of fun putting together a homemade costume or shop around for the perfect buccaneer get-up. With an eyepatch, hat, and shoulder parrot, you’ll feel like a true terror of the seas. Whether simple or elaborate, a little bit of dress-up goes a long way in making the day that much more fun!
Know Before You Go
Following a few tips and tricks can make your Tampa festival experience even better.
If you’re driving, get there early – parking fills up fast for this event!
Also, if you can, purchase your tickets in advance. Reserved tickets are required for adults and children over the age of 2. And tickets are more expensive on the day of the festival, so it pays to plan ahead, especially if you’re bringing the whole family (which we highly recommend)!
Immerse Yourself in Pirate-Themed Events
There are plenty of other pirate-y events in Tampa Bay this time of year. Check out Tampa Bay’s tourism website to get the full lowdown on the Gasparilla Season event list, including the children’s parade!
Specially designed for pirates big, small, and in between, you can bring the kiddos out to shout and jump for treasures and beads as 100 parade floats wind their way through downtown Tampa Bay. Take in the elaborate floats, booming marching bands, impeccably dressed krewes, and whirling dancers as the parade marches a mile and a half through town. The whole thing culminates in a monstrous pyrotechnics display – that is, an elaborate recreation of the battle between Ye Mystic Krewe Gasparilla and the city of Tampa. (Spoiler alert: the pirates win every year, which is sure to delight the kiddos!)
If the children’s parade is any indication, you won’t want to miss out on any of the events in Tampa Bay’s Gasparilla Season!
Are you going to dress up for the Gasparilla Pirate Festival 2023? Let us know in the comments below!
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Photo: Unsplash
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