TAMPA, Fla. — Since 1904, pirates have been invading Tampa for the annual Gasparilla Pirate Fest!
Pirate accents and eye patches will be aplenty and parking and traffic will be busy. Here's everything you need to know about the annual throw-down.
The 2019 Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tampa Gasparilla Pirate Fest kicks off on Saturday, January 26.
The Gasparilla Invasion will start at 11 a.m. when the world’s only fully-rigged pirate ship, the Jose Gasparilla, sets sail at the south end of Hillsborough Bay and travels north to Seddon Channel to dock at the Tampa Convention Center.
A Gasparilla Brunch will be held at the Tampa Convention Center from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Tickets are required for this event. Get more info here .
The Parade of the Pirates begins at 2 p.m. The parade will begin at Bay to Bay Boulevard and Bayshore Boulevard. It will continue along Bayshore Boulevard to Brorein Street turning east on Brorein Street and then north on Ashley Drive. The parade will end at Cass Street and Ashley Drive. The parade is FREE to attend. You can purchase reserved seating here.
Traffic and parking information from the City of Tampa:
City of Tampa Traffic & Parking Advisory for the Gasparilla Parade of Pirates - Saturday, January 26
Avast ye! The City of Tampa wants you to be prepared for heavier than normal traffic on Saturday, January 26, 2019 in downtown and south Tampa as we batten down the hatches and prepare for great fun and high adventure during the 102nd Annual Gasparilla Pirate Fest!
The pirates arrive by sea as the fully rigged Jose Gasparilla sails into Seddon Channel and docks at the Tampa Convention Center at 1 p.m. Then, the marauding buccaneers gather at the intersection of Bay to Bay Boulevard and Bayshore Boulevard for the Gasparilla Parade of Pirates, which steps off at 2 p.m. The parade continues along Bayshore Boulevard to Brorein Street, turns east on Brorein Street, then north on Ashley Drive. The parade ends in downtown Tampa at Cass Street and Ashley Drive.
One of the most popular attractions in Tampa is the annual Gasparilla Pirate Fest, which has been a tradition in Tampa since 1905. Over 300,000 spectators are expected to line the streets to watch the Children's Gasparilla Extravaganza on January 19, 2019 and the Gasparilla Pirate Fest on January 26, 2019. In order to accommodate the parades, many streets will be closed.
South Tampa Neighborhood Parking and Circulation Plans
The City is alerting the public of road closures and towing zones to minimize congestion in neighborhoods that border the parade route. No Parking signs have been installed in the neighborhoods west of Bayshore Boulevard and will be in effect beginning on Friday, January 18 through Saturday, January 19. Please note: Only motorists with an ID verifying residency will be allowed to enter the Bayshore Gardens and Hyde Park Preservation neighborhood after the streets have been closed.
Street Closure Schedule - Click here for more information
Sunday, January 13 – Friday, February 1
- Median Closures at DeSoto Ave, Nance Ave, Albany Ave & Gunby Ave at Bayshore Boulevard
Friday, January 25, 2019 @ 10:00 PM
- Bayshore Boulevard from Gandy Boulevard to Platt Street
- Bay to Bay from Bayshore Boulevard to Ysabella Street
- Davis Islands Bridge Off Ramp onto NB Bayshore Drive
Saturday, January 26, 2019 @ 3:00 AM
- Bayshore Boulevard from Brorein Street to Platt Street
- Platt Street/Channelside Drive from Plant Avenue to Franklin Street
Saturday, January 26, 2019 @ 5:30 AM
- Crosstown- EB Willow Avenue Off Ramp (Exit 4)
- Willow Ave from Platt St to Swann Avenue (SB lanes closed only, 1-way NB)
Saturday, January 26, 2019 @ 7:00 AM
- Ashley Drive from Brorein Street to Jackson Street
- Brorein Street from Florida Avenue to Parker Street
- Franklin Street from Channelside Drive to Harbour Island Bridge
- Old Water Street from Florida Avenue to Franklin Street
- Washington Street from Ashley Drive to Tampa Street
- Whiting Street from Ashley Drive to Tampa Street
- Whiting Street from Florida Avenue to Franklin Street (WB)
Saturday, January 26, 2019 @ 9:00 AM
- Kennedy from Hyde Park Avenue to Ashley Drive (EB)
- Ashley Drive from Cass Street to Jackson Street
- Jackson Street from Ashley Drive to Tampa Street
- Kennedy Boulevard from Florida Avenue to Plant Avenue (WB)
- Madison Street from Ashley Drive to Tampa Street
- Madison Street from Florida Avenue to Tampa Street (WB)
- Twiggs Street from Florida Avenue to Tampa Street (WB)
- Zack Street from Ashley Drive to Tampa Street
- Zack Street from Florida Avenue to Tampa Street (WB)
- Polk Street from Ashley Drive to Tampa Street
- Polk Street from Florida Avenue to Tampa Street (WB)
- Tyler Street from Florida Avenue to Tampa Street (WB)
Saturday, January 26, 2019 @ 11:00 AM
- Cass Street from Willow Avenue to N Boulevard
- North A Street from Willow Avenue to Newport Avenue
- North B Street from Willow Avenue to Newport Avenue
- Fig Street from Willow Avenue to Gilchrist Avenue
- Carmen Street from Willow Avenue to Delaware Avenue
- Newport Avenue from Cass Street to North A Street
- Gilchrist Avenue from Cass Street to Fig Street
Saturday, January 26, 2019 @ 1:30 PM
- Cass Street from N Boulevard to Tampa Street
- Tyler Street from Tampa Street to Cass Street
Saturday, January 26, 2019 @ 3:00 PM
- Bay-to-Bay Boulevard from MacDill Avenue to Ysabella Avenue (EB)
- Swann Avenue from MacDill Avenue to Armenia Avenue (EB lanes closed only, 1-way WB)
- Platt Street at Howard Avenue (EB)
- Platt Street at S Boulevard (EB)
- Willow Avenue from Kennedy Boulevard to Cleveland Street
- Willow Avenue from Cleveland Street to Platt Street (SB)
- South Boulevard from Kennedy Boulevard to Cleveland Street
- South Boulevard from Cleveland Street to Platt Street (SB)
- Whiting Street from Tampa Street to Franklin Street
Saturday, January 27, 2019 @ 4:30 PM
- Kennedy Boulevard at Himes Avenue (EB)
- Kennedy Boulevard at MacDill Avenue (EB)
- Kennedy Boulevard at Howard Avenue (EB)
- Kennedy Boulevard at Willow Avenue (EB)
City of Tampa Parking Information
For access to the Gasparilla Parade of Pirates in South Tampa, consider using the following garages and lots:
- Ft Brooke Garage - $10 flat rate and will open at 7 a.m.
- Jackson Street Parking Lot - hourly rate of $1.60/hr, with a $9.50 daily maximum and will open at 7 a.m.
- Poe Garage –At 9:30 a.m. at a rate of $4 per vehicle entry. Due to the parade route, this garage will be closed from 1:00 p.m. until 6:00 p.m. Customers will not be able to enter or exit this garage until after 6:00 p.m.
- Royal Regional Lot – $10 flat rate and will open at 7 a.m.
- Tampa Convention Center Garage - $10 flat rate and will open at 7 a.m.
- Twiggs Street Garage - hourly rates of $1.20/hr, with a $7 daily maximum and will open at 7 a.m.
- All numbered spaces on Kennedy Boulevard and south of Kennedy Boulevard are enforced up until midnight at the standard hourly rate.
For access to the Amalie Arena in the morning and the evening, consider using the following garages
and lots:
- The Selmon Expressway Lots - $15 flat rate for the circus
- South Regional Garage - $12 flat rate and will be open from 7 a.m. – 10:30 a.m. for parade & circus parking.
- After 10:30 a.m. parking will be restricted to Arena Reserved Parking Passes for the remainder of the day.
For access to downtown and south Tampa from historic Ybor City, consider using the following
garages and utilizing HART services:
- Centro Ybor and Palm Avenue Garages - will open at 7 a.m at the standard hourly rate. HART park and ride available from both locations.
- HART will be offering extra streetcar, bus, and trolley services. For more information about HART service during this special event, please call (813) 254-4278 or visit www.goHART.org.
Getting to the Straz Center:
- Drivers attending the 1 p.m. and 8 p.m. shows of Cabaret at the Straz Center are encouraged to take one of the following routes.
- From South Tampa
- Dale Mabry NB to I-275 NB
- Right on Tyler Street to available parking
- Continue on Ashley Drive to Tyler Street
- Right on Tyler Street to available parking
From Brandon
- I-4 WB to Downtown Exit 45A - Follow Downtown West sign to Doyle Carlton Drive
- Left on Doyle Carlton Drive through Laurel Street to available parking
From St. Pete/Clearwater
- I-275 NB to Exit 44 Ashley Drive
- Continue on Ashley Drive to Tyler Street
- Right on Tyler Street to available parking
From North Tampa
- South on Tampa Street to Laurel Street
- Right on Laurel Street to Doyle Carlton Drive
- Left on Doyle Carlton Drive to available parking
OR
- I-1275 SB to Downtown Exit 45A
- Follow Downtown West sign to Doyle Carlton Drive
- Left on Doyle Carlton Drive through Laurel Street to available parking
Discounted Lyft rides
Captain Morgan is offering a deal for people heading or from Gasparilla.
Anyone 21 or older can use the code LIKEACAPTAIN2019 on Saturday from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. and from 6:00-9:00 p.m. to receive a $20 credit towards their ride fare within five miles of downtown Tampa.
The credit offer is limited to the first 1,000 people. For more information, click here.
Drinking alcohol at Gasparilla
Law enforcement will be cracking down on drinking, whether you're on land or sea. So go easy on the bottle of rum!
Tampa police say that their officers will be on the lookout for excessive and underage drinking. that around 2,000 officers will be working during Gasparilla. Landlubber's beware! There are designated 'Wet Zone' areas where you are allowed to legally consume alcohol. If you're caught with a drink or open container outside of the zones, you may be forced to walk the plank! (Or get a ticket, which could ruin your Gasparilla fun)
Here is a map of where you are legally allowed to wet your whistle:
What to do with beads after the parade
MacDonald Training Center is accepting unused Gasparilla beads 24/7 at its main facility on Cypress Street.
The beads will be recycled and sold for the 2020 parade. Money from the sale of beads goes towards programs to help people with disabilities.
