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Gasparilla 2017: Everything you need to know about the annual Pirate Fest

Children's Parade, Pirate Fest & more
Posted at 10:46 AM, Jan 17, 2017
and last updated 2017-01-27 08:21:14-05

Pirates are invading Tampa for the annual Gasparilla Pirate Fest; a tradition since 1904. 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 2017 Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tampa Gasparilla Pirate Fest kicks off on Saturday, January 28.

The Gasparilla Invasion will start at 11:30 a.m. when the Jose Gasparilla will set sail at the south end of Hillsborough Bay and travel north to Seddon Channel to dock at the Tampa convention Center at 1 p.m.

A Gasparilla Brunch will be held at the Tampa Convention Center from 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Tickets are required for this event. Get more info here

STREETCAR AND BUS SERVICE DURING GASPARILLA 2017

The Parade of the Pirates begins at 2 p.m. The parade will begin at Bay to Bay Blvd. and Bayshore Blvd. It will continue along Bayshore Blvd. to Brorein St. turning east on Brorein St. and then north on Ashley Dr. The parade will end at Cass St. and Ashley Dr. 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 28
Avast ye! The City of Tampa wants you to be prepared for heavier than normal traffic on Saturday, January 28, 2017 in downtown and south Tampa as we batten down the hatches and prepare for great fun and high adventure during the 101st 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 Blvd. and Bayshore Blvd. for the Gasparilla Parade of Pirates, which steps off at 2 p.m. The parade continues along Bayshore Blvd. 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.

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 Blvd and will be in effect beginning on Friday, January 27, 2017 through Saturday, January 28, 2017. Any vehicles parked on the streets in the affected neighborhoods will be cited and towed at the owner’s expense. Tampa Police advise motorists not to park their vehicles in the “No Parking” areas to avoid having their vehicles towed.

Street Closure Schedule

Monday, January 16 – Thursday, February 2, 2017
Median Closures at DeSoto Ave, Nance Ave, Albany Ave & Gunby Ave at Bayshore Blvd

Friday, January 27,  2017 @ 10:00 PM
Bayshore Blvd from Gandy Blvd to Platt St
Bay to Bay from Bayshore Blvd to Ysabella St
Davis Island Bridge Off Ramp onto NB Bayshore Dr
Bayshore Blvd from Brorein St to Platt St

Saturday, January 28, 2017 @ 3:00 AM
Platt St/Channelside Dr from Plant Ave to Franklin St
Brorein St from Florida Ave to Parker St

Saturday, January 28, 2017 @ 5:30 AM
Crosstown- EB Willow Ave Off Ramp (Exit 4)
Willow Ave from Platt St to Swann Ave (SB lanes closed only, 1-way NB)
                            
Saturday, January 28, 2017 @ 7:00 AM

Ashley Dr from Brorein St to Jackson St
Brorein St from Jefferson St to Parker St
Franklin St from Channelside Dr to Harbour Island Bridge
Old Water St from Florida Ave to Franklin St
Washington St from Ashley Dr to Tampa St
Whiting St from Ashley Dr to Tampa St
Whiting St from Florida Ave to Franklin St (WB)
Crosstown- EB Morgan Offramp (6B)
  
Saturday, January 28, 2017 @ 9:00 AM

Kennedy from Hyde Park Ave to Ashley Dr (EB)
Ashley Dr from Split to Jackson St (Cass and Tyler will remain open @ Ashley for EW Traffic to Poe Garage)
Jackson St from Ashley Dr to Tampa St
Kennedy Blvd from Florida Ave to Plant Ave (WB)
Madison St from Ashley Dr to Florida Ave
Twiggs St from Ashley Dr to Florida Ave
Zack St from Ashley Dr to Florida Ave
Polk St from Ashley Dr to Florida Ave
Cass EB from Blvd to Doyle Carlton (Poe Garage Exit)

Saturday, January 28, 2017 @ 11:00 AM
Cass St from Willow Ave to N Blvd
North A St from Willow Ave to Newport Ave
North B St from Willow Ave to Newport Ave
Fig St from Willow Ave to Gilchrist Ave
Carmen St from Willow Ave to Delaware Ave
Newport Ave from Cass St to North A St
Gilchrist Ave from Cass St to Fig St

Saturday, January 28, 2017 @ 1:00 PM
Cass St from N Blvd to Tampa St
Tyler St from Ashley Dr to Cass St

Saturday, January 28, 2017 @ 3:00 PM
Bay-to-Bay Blvd from MacDill Ave to Ysabella Ave (EB)
Swann Ave from MacDill Ave to Armenia Ave (EB lanes closed only, 1-way WB)
Platt St at Howard Ave (EB)
Platt St at S Willow (EB)
Platt St at S Blvd (EB)
Willow Ave from Kennedy Blvd to Cleveland St
Willow Ave from Cleveland St to Platt St (SB)
South Blvd from Kennedy Blvd to Cleveland St
South Blvd from Cleveland St to Platt St (SB)
Whiting St from Tampa St to Franklin St
Florida at Kay Dual NBLT

Saturday, January 28, 2017 @ 4:30 PM
Kennedy Blvd at Himes Ave (EB)
Kennedy Blvd at MacDill Ave (EB)
Kennedy Blvd at Howard Ave (EB)
Kennedy Blvd at Willow Ave (EB)
Kennedy Blvd at Blvd (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. For those attending the Straz 8 p.m. show, Poe Garage will reopen at 6:30 p.m. and there will be a $6 flat rate paid on entry.
• 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 Blvd. and south of Kennedy Blvd. 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
- I-275 NB to Exit 44 Ashley Dr.
- Continue on Ashley Dr. to Tyler St
- Right on Tyler St to available parking

From Brandon
- I-4 WB to Downtown Exit 45A
- Follow Downtown West sign to Doyle Carlton Dr.
- Left on Doyle Carlton Dr. through Laurel St to available parking

From St. Pete/Clearwater
- I-275 NB to Exit 44 Ashley Dr.
- Continue on Ashley Dr. to Tyler St
- Right on Tyler St to available parking

From North Tampa
- South on Tampa St to Laurel St
- Right on Laurel St to Doyle Carlton Dr.
- Left on Doyle Carlton Dr. to available parking.
OR
- I-1275 SB to Downtown Exit 45A
- Follow Downtown West sign to Doyle Carlton Dr.
- Left on Doyle Carlton Dr. through Laurel St to available parking

Get more information here.

LAST WEEKEND WAS THE GASPARILLA CHILDREN'S PARADE

GASPARILLA 2016 PHOTO GALLERY

The McDonald's Children's Gasparilla Extravaganza will kick off the Gasparilla season on Saturday, January 21. 

Schedule for the day:
11:00AM  - Activities open along Bayshore Blvd at 11AM.
11:00AM - 1:00PM Bicycle Safety Rodeo w/Tampa Police Department
1:30PM - Gasparilla Preschooler's Stroll presented by Tampa's Lowry Park Zoo. Find an application here.
2:30PM - SOCOM Para-Commandos Day Jump
3:30PM - 6:00PM Children's Gasparilla Parade driven by Chevrolet
6:30PM - SOCOM Para-Commandos Night Jump
7:00PM - 7:30PM Gasparilla Piratechnic Extravaganza (Fireworks Show!)

Get more info here

GASPARILLA CHILDREN’S PARADE 2017 ROAD CLOSURE SCHEDULE

  • Monday January 16, 2017 – Thursday, February 2, 2017
    Close Bayshore Blvd. crossovers at DeSoto Ave., Nance Ave., Albany Ave. and Gunby Ave.
     
  • Saturday, January 21, 2017 @ 2:00 AM
    Close Bayshore Blvd. Northbound from Bay-to-Bay Blvd. to Rome Ave.
     
  • Saturday, January 21, 2017 @ 6:30 AM
    Close Bayshore Blvd from Gandy Blvd to Platt St/Channelside Dr
    Close Davis Island Bridge Off Ramp onto Northbound Bayshore Blvd
     
  • Saturday, January 21, 2017 @ 9:00 AM
    Close One Eastbound Lane and one Westbound Lane on Bay to Bay Blvd from MacDill Ave to Ysabella Ave (to accommodate Pedestrian Walkway)
     
  • Saturday, January 21, 2017 @ 4:30 PM
    Close Eastbound Bay-to-Bay Blvd at MacDill Ave

A Children's Gasparilla Extravaganza Shuttle will operate one continuous shuttle route on January 21 from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. The cost is $10 per adult, children accompanied by an adult ride for free. 

The shuttle will pick up at the Fort Brooke Garage, at the corner of Franklin and Whiting Street. The Whiting Street Garage will serve as overflow parking for the Fort Brooke Garage. The shuttle will travel to Bayshore Blvd. and drop off passengers near the beginning of the parade route at Bay to Bay Blvd. and the Crosstown. Shuttle info here.