Gasparilla 2024: Everything you need to know about the annual pirate festival

TAMPA, Fla. - Arrgh you ready? It’s that time of year again when pirates pillage and plunder their way across the city. The annual Gasparilla Pirate Festival has been a Tampa staple since 1904.

Here's everything you need to know, from road closures to parking, to where alcohol is allowed along the parade route. 

When is Gasparilla?

Saturday, January 27, 9 a.m. – 10 p.m. in Downtown Tampa

Gasparilla schedule of events

The Gasparilla Pirate Fest takes place on January 27, 2024, from 9 a.m. – 10 p.m. with the parade of pirates from 2:30 – 5:30 p.m.

• 10 a.m. - 1 p.m. – Gasparilla Invasion Brunch - A Gasparilla brunch is being held at the Tampa Convention Center with limited seating. (Tickets are available for advanced purchase).
• 11:30 a.m. - 1 p.m. – Gasparilla Invasion - The legendary Jose Gasparilla sails into the Tampa Convention Center basin along with a magnificent flotilla of hundreds of vessels and the notorious pirates of Ye Mystic Krewe of Gasparilla.
• 2- 5:30 p.m. - Gasparilla Parade of Pirates -  Hundreds of pirates will march 4.5 miles along Bayshore Boulevard tossing beads along the way.
• 10 a.m. – 8 p.m. – Gasparilla Stage Performances - Live music and entertainment before, during and after the parade at Curtis Hixon Waterfront Park located at Ashley Drive and Twiggs Street and at MacDill Park located at Ashley Drive and Whiting Street.

What streets are closed for Gasparilla?

Motorists can expect temporary road closures before, during and after the Gasparilla Pirate Festival: 

January 26, 10 p.m. to January 27 at Midnight

• Bayshore Boulevard between W Gandy Boulevard and W Platt Street
• W Bay to Bay between Bayshore Boulevard and S Ysabella Avenue
• Davis Islands Bridge off-ramp onto Bayshore Boulevard

January 27, 3 a.m. to Midnight

• Bayshore Boulevard between W Brorein Street and W Platt Street
• W Platt Street/Channelside Drive from S Plant Avenue to S Franklin Street

January 27, 5:30 a.m. to midnight

• Crosstown- EB S Willow Avenue Exit Ramp (Exit 4)
• January 27, 7 a.m. to midnight
• S Ashley Drive between Jackson Street and Brorein Street
• Brorein Street from S Jefferson Avenue to S Parker Street
• S Franklin Street between Channelside Drive and Harbour Island Bridge
• Water Street between S Franklin Street and S Florida Avenue
• E Washington Street between S Ashley Drive and S Tampa Street
• E Whiting Street between S Ashley Drive and S Tampa Street

January 27, 9 a.m. to Midnight

• E Kennedy Boulevard between N Florida Ave and S Plant Ave
• N Ashley Drive between E Cass Street and E Jackson Street
• E Jackson Street from N Ashley Drive to N Tampa Street
• E Madison Street between N Ashley Drive and N Florida Avenue
• E Twiggs Street between N Ashley Drive and N Florida Avenue
• E Zack Street between N Ashley Drive and N Florida Avenue
• E Polk Street between N Ashley Drive and N Florida Avenue

January 27, 11 a.m. to Midnight

• W Cass Street between N Willow Avenue and W Tyler Street
• W North A Street from N Willow Ave to N Newport Avenue
• W North B Street from N Willow Ave to N Newport Avenue
• W Fig Street between N Willow Avenue and N Gilchrist Avenue
• W Carmen Street between N Willow Avenue and N Delaware Avenue
• N Newport Avenue between W Cass Street and W North A Street
• N Gilchrist Avenue between W Cass Street and W Fig Street
• N Boulevard between W Cass Street and W Main Street

January 27, 1:30 p.m. to Midnight

• Cass Street between W Tyler Street and N Tampa Street
• W Tyler Street between N Tampa Street and W Cass Street

January 27, 2 p.m. to Midnight

• N Boulevard between W Kennedy Blvd and W Cass Street

January 27, 3 p.m. to Midnight

• W Bay to Bay Boulevard (Eastbound Closure Only) between S MacDill Avenue and S Ysabella Avenue
• W Platt Street at S Howard Avenue
• W Platt Street at S Willow Ave
• W Platt St at S South Boulevard
• S Willow Avenue between W Kennedy Boulevard and W Platt Street
• S Boulevard between W Kennedy Boulevard and W Platt Street
• E Whiting Street between Tampa Street and Franklin Street

January 27, 4:30 p.m. to Midnight

• W Kennedy Boulevard (Eastbound Closure Only) at S Himes Avenue
• W Kennedy Boulevard (Eastbound Closure Only) at S MacDill Avenue
• W Kennedy Boulevard (Eastbound Closure Only) at S Howard Avenue
• W Kennedy Boulevard (Eastbound Closure Only) at S Boulevard

Where should I park for Gasparilla?

Parking for Gasparilla is available in garages and lots throughout downtown Tampa. The city-run garages will have a special event parking rate that will need to be paid upon entry.

• Pam Iorio Parking Garage, located at S. Florida Ave & Channelside Dr., opens at 8 a.m. with limited spaces
• Tampa Convention Center Garage, located at Tampa St. & Brorein St., open 24 hours
• Fort Brooke Garage, located at Whiting St. between Franklin St. & Florida Ave, 8 a.m. – 9 p.m.
• Whiting St. Garage, located at N. Morgan St., open 8 a.m. – 9 p.m.
• Selmon Expressway Downtown parking lots, open 8 a.m. – 9 p.m.
• Royal Regional Lot, located at Tampa Street and Fortune St., open 24 hours
• Scott Street Lot, located at Morgan St. and Scott St., open 24 hours
• Poe Garage, located at N. Ashley Dr. and W. Cass St. – note- this garage is open 24 hours, but will shut down from 1 – 6 p.m. to accommodate the parade route.
• Twiggs Street Garage, located at Twiggs St. west of Nebraska Ave., open 24 hours. Standard hourly rate with a $12 maximum
• Centro Ybor Garage, located at 5th Ave. and 15 St., open 24 hours. Standard hourly rate with a $12 maximum
• Palm Ave. Garage, located at 13th St. and 9th Ave., open 24 hours. Standard hourly rate with a $12 maximum.

On the street parking meters will be enforced from 8 a.m. until midnight.

The free TECO Line Streetcar will run from 8:30 a.m. – 2:30 a.m. and the free HART bus shuttle service will run from 9:30 a.m. – 7 p.m. to take people between Ybor City and Downtown Tampa.

Area businesses will also be offering parking on their properties and motorists are urged to check with local businesses to buy a parking pass in advance.

Parking is not allowed in neighborhoods bordering the parade route. Tampa police will be enforcing event parking policies.

Limited ADA accessible parking available at the Ft. Brooke Garage, which is located at the corner of Ashley and Whiting Streets.

What is the Gasparilla parade route?

After conquering Tampa Bay, the pirates will celebrate with a 4.5-mile victory parade down Bayshore Boulevard.

The parade begins at Bayshore and Bay to Bay Boulevard and will end at Ashley and Cass Streets.

There is public parade viewing at Bay to Bay Boulevard, Gunby and Platt Streets and all of downtown.

Where is alcohol allowed on Gasparilla?

Gasparilla attendees will be allowed to drink alcohol in approved areas along the parade route. There is no drinking in neighborhoods.

What is Gasparilla?

The city of Tampa has been celebrating Gasparilla since 1904. It began as a way for city leaders to promote the annual May Day celebration.

In the spring of 1904, Mary Louise Dodge, the society editor for the Tampa Tribune was helping to come up with an event theme when George Hardee, a New Orleans native who worked for the federal government in Tampa, suggested the legend of Gasparilla.

Hardee formed a krewe of 50 men and the Tampa Tribune began publishing a series of letters from Ye Mystic Krewe of Gasparilla. The letters discussed a pirate invasion by King Gasparilla and his court.

On May Day, Ye Mystic Krewe of Gasparilla pirates arrived on horseback wearing costumes rented from New Orleans, and "captured" the city during a parade on May 4, 1904. Since then, Tampa has celebrated Gasparilla every year with few exceptions.

It was celebrated on the second Monday in February until being moved to Saturday in 1988, so surrounding communities could participate.

Since then, Visit Tampa Bay says Gasparilla has grown into the third-largest parade in the country with approximately 300,000 attendees. This year’s grand marshal is Tampa native, comedian Bert Kreischer.