The Gasparilla Pirates Invasion and Parade has been a Tampa tradition for over 100 years. Named for the legendary pirate, Jose Gaspar, the last of the Buccaneers, who terrorized the coastal waters of western Florida in the late 18th and early 19th centuries, Gasparilla has evolved over the years in a series of events of one week long. by hundreds of the city’s most prominent men turned swordsmen. The celebration culminates in the rather loud invasion, parade and street party that rivals Mardi Gras …
including lots and lots of beads.
Ye Mystic Krewe de Gasparilla
It all started with the legend of a fortune in buried treasure that José Gaspar left somewhere on the Florida coast when he died. Although that treasure has never been found, the story of the swordsman was unearthed and his memory was revived in 1904 when Tampa’s social and civic leaders adopted the pirate as the rogue patron of their city-wide celebration.
Forty original members of the first “Ye Mystic Krewe of Gasparilla” secretly met and planned a surprise mock pirate attack on Tampa. In full garb, masked and fully disguised, the first Krewe arrived on horseback to “capture the city” during the Festival Parade. Surprisingly, the first invasion was so successful that a citywide lawsuit led to the Mystic Krewe organization being permanent. A tradition was born.
The “invasion” of Gasparilla
Whether by land or by sea, pirates will generally prevail. They do so in Gasparilla’s annual invasion of Tampa. Evolving from horseback to sea, several years saw a United States Navy ship bombarded with Cuban bread (thrown from small boats) until the city finally surrendered in defeat.
Today, the invasion of the water begins at the southern end of Hillsborough Bay and involves hundreds of ships accompanying a replica pirate ship to Tampa. The Jose Gasparilla , commissioned in 1954 by the Krewe, is the only fully armed pirate ship built in modern times. The ship is a replica of a West Indian man used in the 18th century. It is constructed of steel and its three masts reach 100 feet in the air. At 165 feet long, it makes for a commanding sight as you cruise the waters of Tampa Bay.
As the ship sails north to the Seddon Channel (between Davis Island and Harbor Island), cannons rumble and ship horns sound, adding to the lively atmosphere. As the ship finally docks at the Tampa Convention Center and the noisy hooligans disembark, it’s clear the city is no match, and the mayor presents the marauders with the key to the city.
In 2008, an old tradition was revived. Now the pirates, in the ceremony “Gasparilla’s triumphant march: return to the sea”, return the key to the mayor, board the José Gasparilla and return to the sea. Don’t worry, they will be back next year for sure!
Editor’s Note: During the year, the Jose Gasparilla is generally docked at the Tarpon Weigh Station on Bayshore Boulevard, where it can be viewed and photographed.
The parade of gasparillas
After the invasion of Tampa, pirates take to the streets of Tampa in a parade. Over the years, the parade has grown to its current size of 90 floats, 14 marching bands, and at least 50 Krewes (including some all-female Krewes).
The parade begins at scenic Bayshore and Bay to Bay boulevards and marches north to downtown Tampa at the Platt Street Bridge. The parade continues east on Channelside Drive to Florida Avenue, north to Jackson Street and ends at Jackson and Marion streets.
Hundreds of thousands of parade goers line Bayshore Boulevard and the streets of downtown Tampa to watch the parade and it is televised locally on WFLA-TV News Channel 8.
A week long celebration
In the past, Gasparilla was celebrated on the second Monday in February, but in 1988 he broke with tradition and moved to a festival on Saturday. In 2002, the festival was moved to the last Saturday in January. However, the celebration actually spans a full week of activities held throughout the city.
In 2001, the Gasparilla Extravaganza evolved from what had traditionally been just a children’s parade: a toned down version of the regular parade, especially for children in the city. The event has evolved into a non-alcoholic family celebration that includes the Gasparilla walk for preschool children, Gasparilla’s aerial invasions (day and night versions), Gasparilla’s children’s parade and Gasparilla’s “Piratechnic” extravagnza.
Other festivities include balls and strokes for Krewe members only, including the coronation of the King and Queen of Gasparilla who reign during the parade.
