Event Details:
Each year in late January, Tampa celebrates the likely-fictional pirate Jose Gaspar by re-enacting his “invasion” of Tampa from the early 1880s. A band of pirates from the social group Ye Mystic Krewe of Gasparilla – accompanied by a flotilla of hundreds of smaller boats – sails into the waters off downtown Tampa aboard the Jose Gasparilla, a 165-foot-long “pirate” ship. Upon receiving the pre-arranged “surrender” from Tampa city officials, the pirates stage a celebratory parade through downtown Tampa. There’s a series of other Gasparilla-related events that occur before and after the pirate invasion (including a night parade, children’s parade, running events and an art show), but the “victory parade” is the top attraction and is usually shown live on local TV.
Dates:
January 28, 2023
Tickets:
The event is free but some related events require tickets.
Location:
Downtown Tampa
More Information:
Gasparilla Pirate Festival official site
