The Gasparilla Pirate Festival may very well be the biggest party event of the year in Tampa. Thousands from Tampa and beyond gather in Downtown Tampa in late January to party like pirates and toast to this great city we live in. With a festival and parade as big as Gasparilla, there are a ton of ways to experience it, including by both land and sea.
Most people attending the event experience it the traditional way by parking off-site and then walking toward the parade route and surrounding areas. If you want the up close and personal Gasparilla experience, this is the way to do it; roughin it in the streets with hundreds of your drunken Tampa neighbors, fighting for beads, basking in the sun. Maybe a little tough, but worth it.
If you just can't party like you used to, you can opt to experience Gasparilla from the comfort of reserved seats or bleachers alongside the parade route. Tickets for both these options are limited, and the cost depends on the proximity and feature you prefer. Tickets can be purchased at the Gasparilla ticket page.
If you want to experience the Gasparilla Pirate Fest by boat, there is limited docking space available at The Tampa Convention Center or in the Marina area along Bayshore between Platt Street and the Davis Island Bridge.
With this in mind, how do YOU plan to do Gasparilla this year? Whichever way you choose, we'll see you there on Saturday, January 28th! Be sure to tag us in your photos (@813area) on Instagram so we can see how YOU Gasparilla is in 2023!
Images courtesy of 813area.
