TAMPA, Fla. — Ahoy, mateys! The 2022 Gasparilla Pirate Fest is returning in January to invade Hillsborough Bay.
Following last year’s canceled events, the 2022 Gasparilla parades will be ready for a swashbuckling good time. 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 2022 Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tampa Gasparilla Pirate Fest kicks off on Saturday, January 29.
Gasparilla Invasion: 11:30 a.m. - 1 p.m.
Due to expected inclement weather, Gasparilla officials said the original sailing route of the Gasparilla Invasion has been changed.
This year, the Jose Gasparilla will sail up the Ybor Channel, around the Harbour Islands, and in the Seddon Channel (the area between Davis Island & Harbour Island).
Revised Route:
With the city defenseless, the swashbuckling YMKG pirates re-enact Tampa's historic pirate invasion with the Gasparilla Flotilla. The pirates set their sights on the Tampa Convention Center where they've commanded Tampa Mayor Jane Castor to surrender the Key to the City to the Captain of Ye Mystic Krewe of Gasparilla.
With the Key to the City in hand, the Krewe celebrates their victory in a Parade of Pirates down Bayshore Boulevard.
NOTE: The National Weather Service has issued a Small Craft Advisory for Tampa Bay from Friday evening through Saturday evening. In the interest of boater safety, the Gasparilla organizers said, "We strongly discourage small vessels from participating in this year's flotilla and recommend guests enjoy the invasion and parade from the land."
The same message was echoed by officials from the Tampa Police Department and Tampa Fire Rescue.
"Watch the invasion from land," Interim Tampa Police Chief Ruben Delgado said. "There's plenty of space on the land as well, but it's going to be rough out there. We don't want anybody getting hurt."
"It's already challenging. We get a lot of boating traffic out there. Some people are a little more experienced than others, and we run into situations sometimes," Captain John Bogush with Tampa Fire Rescue said. "We're going to compound that with not only the high winds but the cold waters."
The U.S. Coast Guard asks anyone who chooses to take their boat on the water, Saturday, to keep safety equipment on-board and have two ways of emergency communication.
Gasparilla Parade: 2 p.m. - 6 p.m.
To celebrate their capture of the City of Tampa, the Captain and his Krewe share their wealth – glittering beads, treasures and doubloons – with a lively, enthusiastic crowd all along the 4.5 -mile parade route.
“Make way, mateys!” shout Tampa’s original buccaneers as they wind their way down historic Bayshore Boulevard and into downtown Tampa – amidst colorful costumes and festive music. The Gasparilla Parade of the Pirates will boast 103 elaborate floats, five marching bands, over 50 distinct Krewes and, of course, those infamous YMKG pirates!
The parade begins at Bay to Bay and Bayshore Boulevard. It continues along Bayshore Boulevard to Brorein Street, turns east on Brorein Street, then north on Ashley Drive. The parade ends at Cass Street and Ashley Drive.
This event is free to the public.
An expanded Pirate Fest in 2022 will feature stages along the Riverwalk in downtown Tampa, with live entertainment pre and post parade in Curtis Hixon Waterfront Park (Ashley and Twiggs), and MacDill Park (Ashley and Whiting).
MACDILL PARK STAGE (98 ROCK):
- 10 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. DJ/STATION MUSIC
- 11:30 a.m. – 3 p.m. NOVA REX
- 3 p.m. – 5:30 p.m. Break for Parade of the Pirates
- 5:30 p.m. – 8 p.m. NOVA REX
CURTIS HIXON PARK STAGE
- 9 a.m. – 10 a.m. DJ / STATION MUSIC
- 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. SOL CARIBE
- 3:30 p.m. – 5:30 p.m. Break for Parade of the Pirates
- 5:30 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. CALIENTE BAND
RECOMMENDED: Gasparilla Road Closure Times
If you need help with parking, the City of Tampa has provided maps on where you can park for the pirate celebration.
- Bayshore Beautiful
- Davis Islands
- Downtown
- Historic Hyde Park (North)
- Historic Hyde Park (South)
- Hyde Park Preservation
- Hyde Park Spanishtown Creek (East)
- Hyde Park Spanishtown Creek (West)
- New Suburb Beautiful
- Palma Ceia (East)
- Palma Ceia (West)
- Parkland Estates
Click here for more parking information.
Gasparilla Road Closures by ABC Action News on Scribd
TECO Line Streetcar System
- Streetcar service is free
- Continuous streetcar service from 8:30 a.m.- 2:00 a.m.
- For parkingin Ybor City, Station #2 (Centro Ybor) is your best bet to the event with Stations #3 and #4 CLOSED from 10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. A FREE bus shuttle will be provided (details below). Stations #1 & #11 will be
- closed all day.
HART Bus Service
- An all-day pass is $4, which may be purchased in advance at HART retail outlets or onboard buses on Gasparilla Day with cash (no change provided) or via the Flamingo Fares app. Passengers may also use their monthly bus pass. This fare does not cover City of Tampa parking fees.
- For parking in Ybor City, HART will provide FREE bus shuttle service between Station #3 (Streetcar Society Station) and Station #4 (Cadrecha Station) and downtown Tampa (Station #10 - Dick Greco Plaza) continuously from 9:30 a.m. - 7:00 p.m.
- For parking at the Port Authority Parking Garage, HART will be providing FREE bus shuttle service to/from Station #10 (Dick Greco Plaza) continuously from 9:30 a.m.- 7:00 p.m.
Getting to Downtown Tampa on HART
- From University Area: Routes 1*, 5, 6, 9, 12, 275LX, MetroRapid
- From Temple Terrace: Route 6
- From New Tampa/Wiregrass: Route 275LX
- From Brandon: Routes 8, 360LX*
- From West Tampa/Citrus Park: Route 7*
- From South Tampa: Routes 19*, 360LX*
- From Tampa International: Routes 10*, 30*
Detours
*Routes 1,7, 8, 10, 14, 19, 30, and 360LX will be on detour during the festivities.
WET ZONES
Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister says adults who are of legal drinking age and choose to drink should do so responsibly and inside designated "wet zones," which are located along the parade route and at Curtis Hixon Waterfront Park.
“During large events like this, our deputies do a great job of displaying discretion. They’re not here to arrest anyone. They’re here to protect everyone. They’re here to protect the crowd," he said. "Please don’t be that girl or that guy who forces them to do their job.”
Gasparilla 2022 Legal Alcohol Zone 119 Update Fixed 0 by ABC Action News on Scribd
