Tickets for 2022 Gasparilla festivities go on sale Friday

TAMPA, Fla. - Pirates will soon be invading Tampa once more.

After the 2021 Gasparilla parades were canceled due to the pandemic, Ye Mystic Krewe of Gasparilla (YMKG) is getting swashbucklers excited for their triumphant return by announcing the early sale of tickets to next year's festivities, beginning Friday, July 23.

Tickets for the 2022 Children's Gasparilla parade, the Seminole Hard Rock Gasparilla Pirate Fest, Gasparilla Invasion Brunch and Gasparilla Parade of Pirates are all set to go on sale at 9 a.m. Friday.

According to YMKG, this year's festivities will also mark the 200th anniversary of the death of its swashbuckling namesake, Jose Gaspar. The name "Gasparilla" derives from the fictional pirate's name, according to the Henry B. Plant Museum. As the legend goes, Gaspar terrorized the coastal waters of Western Florida during the late 1700's and early 1800's.

Here is a schedule of the 2022 events:

• The 2022 Children's Gasparilla parade, presented by Chick-fil-A Tampa Bay, is scheduled for Saturday, January 22, 2022 and is an alcohol-free family event that annually launches Gasparilla season in Tampa. Early bird pricing for reserved bleacher seating starts at $45 per person.
• The 2022 Gasparilla Invasion Brunch is scheduled for Saturday, January 29, 2022, where attendees enjoy food and live entertainment at the Tampa Convention Center and witness the Jose Gasparilla II pirate ship and its accompanying flotilla of boats invade the shore.
• The 2022 Gasparilla Parade of Pirates boasts approximately 130 colorful floats, bands and Jose Gaspar's pirates. Early bird pricing for reserved bleacher seating starts at $55 per person. Combo ticket packages are also available and include access to the invasion brunch and parade, starting at $160 per person.

All ticket orders are subject to sales tax and a $10 handling charge per order. Shipping is available for an added fee.

LINK: To purchase tickets, visit GasparillaTreasures.com or call the Gasparilla Ticket Line at 813-251-8844.