TAMPA, Fla. — Children’s Gasparilla is Saturday, officially kicking off Gasparilla season.
Events are happening all day from 12 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
The parade starts at 4 p.m., and the route begins at Bay to Bay and Bayshore Boulevard.
The route then goes north along Bayshore Boulevard before ending at Edison Avenue.
The event is free to attend.
Allowed items include:
- Strollers
- Leashed pets
- Blankets
- Folding chairs
- Hand-held umbrellas
Prohibited items include:
- Grills
- Coolers
- Scooters
- Tents
- Beach umbrellas
This is an alcohol-free event.
If you’re setting sail for Children’s Gasparilla, expect heavy traffic. So plan your route, arrive early, and consider using alternate transportation like:
- The Teco Line Streetcar: it’s free and running from 8:30 a.m. to 2 a.m.
- Tampa Downtown’s DASH: It’s $2 per person and runs from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m.
- Jolly Roger Trolley: it's free and has a continuous loop with pickup and drop off on Bayshore Boulevard at Platt Street and Bay to Bay Boulevard. It runs from 11 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.
- Rideshare services
If you take an electric bike or electric scooter, there are no-ride zones all along Bayshore Boulevard.
If you do plan on driving, most of the city’s garages will be open for $15-$20. However, those garages are expected to be at capacity.
You can sign up for text alerts by texting "Gasparilla" to 888-77.
Safety remains top of mind of officials, who’ve been preparing for this for weeks.
Hundreds of law enforcement officers will be patrolling on land, on boats, and in the sky. Many of them will be undercover to keep people safe.
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