HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, Fla. — People lined up early in the morning to get a good spot for the 2023 Gasparilla parade.
“Early bird gets the worm. We got a great spot,” said John Blakey.
“We know our spot. Listen, when you’ve been doing it long as we have, we know what we’re doing,” said Tammy Beene.
The crowd was full of first-timers.
“We live here; we’ve never been here before,” said Anna Griffin.
“For the first time here, I love Tampa,” said Scott Kaminsky.
And seasoned veterans, who’ve been coming here for years, were also there.
“First time was probably 15 years ago or so and I was absolutely blown away the very first time I did it,” said Marshall Beene.
For some, Gasparilla is a family tradition.
“Matter of fact, this is the parade route we used to come with my grandmother and my family and everyone, so it’s pretty nostalgic for us,” said Tammy Beene.
Thousands of people came out to celebrate the invasion.
“Getting the beads, blowing the vuvuzela, having a good time, having a blast, making annoyances. It’s all fun,” said Amir Hayavi.
Many groups showed up to support our local teams.
“The Bucs float, the lighting float, and the rays float,” said Blakey.
“We got a flag over there, so they know we’re here, you know. Got to represent our Bucs,” said Kaminsky.
Even the colder weather didn’t stop the pirates in the crowd.
“Got the coat, the sash, the shirt, ring,” said Marshall Beene.
Of course, there was no shortage of beads on hand.
“I collect these every year at Gasparilla. I save them for the next year and then give them out here on the parade route before the parade starts and then do it all over again,” said Amir Hayavi.
The vendors were all set up to feed thousands.
“We have a whole bunch of a variety of stuff; we have chicken on stick, we’ve got our smoked turkey legs,” said vendor Russell Haze.
It was another successful invasion.
“It’s a lot of fun people watching, a lot of fun being here with everyone and having a good time. It’s always been a good time,” said Marshall Beene.
“Just everyone coming together celebrating this wonderful event that happens, it’s definitely a Tampa tradition here,” said Tammy Beene.
Gasparilla is not just a tradition but also a Tampa treasure.
