HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, Fla. — The Children's Gasparilla Parade is a Tampa tradition since 1947. Thousands of families crowded Bayshore Boulevard for the all-day celebration.
"It’s Gasparilla!" Young kids dressed as pirates yelled.
For Tampa Bay’s youngest pirates is the Preschooler’s Stroll, where children five and under strut their stuff along Bayshore Boulevard in their decked-out wagons and homemade ships.
"We started this eight years ago when our youngest was just a baby in the stroller and it just kept getting bigger and bigger. For our second child, for his first birthday, we built this ship," Abbey Ahern, one mom, said.
It's a tradition of helping keep beads and beards alive.
"Why do we dress crazy and build ships? We’re invading!" Ahern added.
Invading while uniting families and friends create memories new generations can pass on.
“It’s their chance to celebrate Gasparilla. We’re just happy to give them a chance to do it. They get to throw their beads; they get to be out here. I’m sure you’d like to be here with all of the adults later, but this is your chance to do it and their chance to do it with their friends, be part of Tampa," Chris Ahern, one dad, added
Beads were everywhere and being thrown from all angles. It’s a tough day for the pirates with an eyepatch.
"We’re looking forward to throwing beads at people, kind of!"
Major Jane Castor led the floats with loud music, dancing invaders and marching bands.
"Tampa police department along with Hillsborough County Sheriffs Office, all of our first responders, Tampa Fire Rescue, they put, really, a year's preparation into ensuring that this event is safe for our entire community," Mayor Castor said.
"Everybody gets together, see all the pirate ships and everything. So, it’s definitely a nice experience for the kids," Greg Ortiz, attending the event, said.
To cap off the annual Children’s Gasparilla Parade was a fireworks show over Tampa Bay.
