Whether you're going to the annual Gasparilla Pirate Fest for the first time, or you're a seasoned vet, these tips are sure to help take the stress out of the day, and allow more time for the important stuff (like beads!!!)
General Info.
-When: Saturday, February 7, 2009. Parade will begin at 2 p.m. and end roughly around 5:30 p.m.
-Where: The parade route starts at Bayshore Blvd. and Bay to Bay Blvd. and continues north to the Platt St. bridge, where it then turns east onto Channelside Dr., then north onto Florida Ave, and finally east on Jackson St, where it ends.
-How Long: The annual Gasparilla Pirate Fest is a 3.5-mile parade route which holds more than 90 floats, 14 marching bands, and over 50 Krewes.
Parking
Anyone who's been to the Gasparilla Day Parade before knows that parking is a major issue. Most people, sick of the search for a parking spot, settle for a $30 fine and park in a restricted area. This year, however, beware. Rather than ticketing illegally parked cars, the Tampa Bay Police Department has announced that they will be towing! To avoid the hassle (and additional fees) here are a couple of options:
-Park in the Centro Ybor Parking Garage or downtown/Channelside garages (special event rates paid upon entry) and take the TECO streetcar to get to the parade route. The streetcar costs $1 for 3 hours or $4 for the entire day.
-Raymond James Stadium is offering free parking (Lots 1 & 3), and shuttle rides (for $10) to parade route. The shuttle will be making round trips to Hyde Park Ave. and DeLeon St. all day. BONUS: If you park here, you have a better chance of skipping some of the post-parade traffic.
Avoid the Crowds
If you don't like being in large crowds, but love accumulating a neck full of beads, there are options for you. A limited amount of bleacher seating is available. Tickets for seating can be purchased online at Gasparilla Pirate Fest and are available in two different packages:
-Bleacher seat: $26.17 (per person)
OR
-Combo Ticket (includes a bleacher seat and a brunch at the Tampa Convention Center): $76.64 (per person)
The Invasion
Each year, the Jose Gasparilla raids the city of Tampa with its canons blazing, where it is met by hundreds of recreational boaters there to fight for their hometown. The boaters set sail to meet the ship and defend the city, but soon after realize the power of the Jose Gasparilla, and turn around and join forces with the pirates. If you have a boat and are planning on taking part in the annual invasion of Tampa Bay, here are a few things to take into account:
-The Jose Gasparilla sets sail at the south end of the Hillsborough Bay at 11:30 a.m. and continues north to Seddon Channel (between Davis Island and Harbor Island), and docks at the Tampa Convention Center at 1 p.m.
-You can dock your boat at the Tampa Convention Center or in the Marina area along Bayshore between Platt St. and the Davis Island Bridge. Space is limited so try and get an early start for this one.
-Make sure you follow code when out in the water. There will be at least 40 law enforcement vessels out on the Bay.
Restrooms
Port-o-lets will be all over the parade route, spanning from Bayshore Blvd to Downtown.
ATMs
Mobile ATMs will be scattered along the parade route, for those of you who forgot to bring cash.
