You may have heard your fellow FSU friends talking about road-tripping to the upcoming “Gaspy.” The nickname refers to Tampa’s Gasparilla parade, an annual tradition that occurs on the last weekend of January. Being born and raised in Tampa, I have been able to experience the festivities brought on by the event for a while now and was excited to hear that many of my FSU classmates were traveling to experience it. Most Tampa natives will refer to Gasparilla as a holiday because of the many events throughout the entire month of January that are in place to celebrate the city.
There is a film festival, music festival, bowl game, half marathon, art festival and a children’s Gasparilla parade that is more family-friendly than, of course, the pirate fest, which is the world’s third largest parade. Although the parade is what most people associate with Gasparilla, the large event does a lot to give back to the community by raising money and awareness for charities in the area. The backstory behind the parade is centered around Buccaneer Jose Gaspar, who was known to terrorize the west coasts of Florida. In 1904, the Tampa Bay Area held what was known as the May Day Festival. In order to bring attention to the festival, an exclusive club known as the Ye Mystic Krewe staged a mock pirate invasion, and from there, the festivities stuck. Gasparilla begins at 11:30 a.m. with the mock invasion, where Tampa residents drive their boats through the bay throwing beads, leading the way for the Jose Gasparilla pirate ship.
The ship is full of people dressed from head to toe in pirate outfits, firing off large cannons. After the ship makes its way through the bay, people begin to make their way to the parade. The four-and-a-half-mile route stretches along Bayshore Boulevard and is guarded by rails. Heaps of people crowd the rails in hopes of catching beads.
There are a plethora of floats, cars, marching bands, dancers, and bands in the parade which lasts for around four hours. Many organizations throughout the Tampa Bay Area decorate a float for the event.
If you ever find yourself making the trip down to Tampa for the parade, here are my top four tips for having a fun experience. First off, be sure to wear comfortable shoes. Due to many roads being closed, heavy traffic and expensive Ubers, it is likely that you will be walking to your destinations. In this case, comfortable trumps cute because a lousy blister can ruin your whole day. Secondly, stay with your group. Due to the large crowds of people, you won’t have any cell phone service around the parade, which makes finding anyone at the parade impossible. It is also important to note Gasparilla is a public event, so use the buddy system to avoid getting approached by any weirdos.
Thirdly, watch the weather. This may seem obvious, but it is important to note that the parade is on the water, and any cold weather will be heightened by gusts of wind, so dress accordingly. Lastly, dress up for them! Everyone will be dressed in pirate gear, so here is your opportunity to have some fun with it. If you need some inspiration, you can type ‘Gasparilla’ into Pinterest or even Amazon, and many options come up. Hope to see you at the next Gasparilla!
Want to see more HCFSU? Be sure to like us on Facebook and follow us on Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, YouTube and Pinterest!