Gasparilla Pirate Festival
gasparilla pirate festival often simply referred gasparilla large parade host related community event held tampa florida united state year since centerpiece festivity parade pirate framed friendly invasion crew mythical pirate josé gaspar also known gasparilla popular figure florida folklore parade pirate often referred gasparilla parade local date event known gasparilla day parade pirate related event organized ye mystic krewe gasparilla ymkg local club modeled krewes mardi gras new orleans gasparilla day member ymkg reenact fictional story gaspar crew donning pirate regalia sailing across tampa bay aboard jose gasparilla ii footlong replica pirate ship actually steel barge converted look like large west indiaman firing loud minicannons accompanied hundred private boat pirate make way tampa convention center demand mayor surrender key city playful ceremony ymkg stage milelong km victory parade bayshore boulevard featuring float marching band live entertainer dozen additional krewes community organization participant float foot throw bead coin trinket crowd spectator usually number making parade pirate one largest annual parade united state gasparilla began surprise landbased pirate invasion civic leader city may day festival next decade piratethemed parade festival sometimes staged addon community event highlight early period first seaborne invasion gasparilla festival became standalone event exception hiatus world war celebrated almost every year since parade scheduled late january early february much existence since taken place last saturday january route gasparilla parade traditionally wound along waterfront downtown tampa since ended along tampa riverwalk festivity continue nighttime hour time formerly oneday event evolved gasparilla season run approximately beginning year midmarch two major parade time gasparilla childrens parade run shorter route bayshore boulevard one week main parade sant yago illuminated knight parade organized krewe knight sant yago historic neighborhood ybor city two week main parade besides three large parade city host many community event time including gasparilla film festival gasparilla festival art gasparilla distance classic gasparilla music festival gasparilla bowl college football game broad slate event varies year year event organized officially sanctioned city ymkg limited legal control gasparilla name taken together event tampa gasparilla season estimated local economic impact million theme focal point gasparilla theatrical invasion mythical pirate josé gaspar crew portrayed member ye mystic krewe gasparilla ymkg organization created purpose around noon gasparilla day member ymkg set sail across tampa bay near ballast point park downtown aboard jose gasparilla ii replica pirate ship built flatbottomed steel barge ship fire nearcontinuous barrage loud minicannons journey davis island harbour island accompanied hundred smaller private boat moor along riverwalk behind tampa convention center krewe disembarks pirate captain demand key city mayor playful ceremony different outcome different year whether mayor actually surrender pirate stage victory parade along bayshore boulevard parade member ye mystic krewe gasparilla along fifty krewes throw bead coin various souvenir throng float piratethemed addition krewes high school university marching band drill team often participate many local business organization build enter elaborate float also throw trinket crowd parade broadcast live local television decade wflatv provided coverage since wtvttv also covered parade krewes many event tampa gasparilla season organized social charitable organization known krewes originally modeled mardi gras krewes new orleans ye mystic krewe gasparilla came together informally stage mock invasion community festival organization continued stage gasparilla parade ever since evolved exclusive social club registered nonprofit festivity become larger complicated year ymkg accepted corporate sponsorship defray cost employed local firm eventfest plan parade city year ymkg member elect king queen gasparilla preside various club gala event season besides gasparilla parade holding private event ymkg raise money various charitable cause annually endows several college scholarship community fund krewe gasparilla tampa officially recognized gasparilla krewe coed krewe venus organized followed ybor city–based krewe knight sant yago tampa rough rider first allfemale ye loyal krewe grace omalley joined krewes established ymkg opened participation parade krewes centered around various ethnic cultural historical theme favorite charity cause much like krewes mardi gras member often spend great deal money elaborate costume bead float currently fifty krewes march gasparilla parade pirate smaller krewes participating rotating basis due limited number available slot many krewes—large small—also participate gasparilla childrens parade sant yago knight parade float parade float long part gasparilla festivity earliest example decorated wagon flatbed pulled horse truck simply decorated truck involved design became common world war several multisegmented float elaborate decoration rolled bayshore boulevard gasparilla day float participated parade pirate used ymkg rest krewes local business civic organization sport team remain relatively simple design trend recent year build elaborate float light moving animatronic element water smoke effect hidden wet bar bathroom rider costing much design construct outside gasparilla season ymkgs active retired float along float several krewes organization stored float barn warehouse procured ymkg purpose throw cannon parade participant float foot traditionally tossed souvenir make way along route specific item changed time plastic bead like new orleans mardi gras festivity far prevalent item variety ranging simple singlecolor necklace intricate expensive design purchased krewe member many bead thrown recent year city organized postparade volunteer cleanup effort annually collect thousand pound plastic parade route nearby tampa bay though popular bead rarely seen gasparilla parade mids two common throw plastic metal commemorative coin produced annually various krewes spent gun cartridge decade many member ymkg walked parade route armed sixshooters handgun loaded blank frequently fired air empty shell tossed aside pirate reloaded sending child scrambling unique souvenir tradition restricted interest safety ended entirely several year later pirate foot longer allowed use firearm parade trained member ymkg still fire loud minicannons several specialized float crossbay voyage jose gasparilla ii several semitheatrical event take place gasparilla day pirate invasion two week parade pirate u navy ship volunteer attacked several small boat ybor city navy armed stale loaf cuban bread water hose u navy return fire water hose occasion rotten vegetable eventually forced surrender alcalde ybor city story go hired josé gaspar help clear resistance impending pirate attack event staged annual basis beginning early discontinued september attack taken place intermittently since museum ship s american victory standing u navy day parade pirate member ye mystic krewe gasparilla full pirate regalia kidnap mayor city hall transport downtown park assembled local medium onlooker demand city surrender mayor playfully refuse pirate warn josé gaspar arrive invasion force following saturday steal key city outbound voyage culminating event gasparilla season revived discontinued ceremony pirate return key city mayor climb aboard jose gasparilla ii retrace route gasparilla day sailing away across tampa bay festivity continue along tampa riverwalk outbound voyage usually take place first saturday march childrens gasparilla extravaganza held saturday prior main parade currently secondtolast saturday january billed familyfriendly event unlike parade pirate alcohol allowed along parade route run along bayshore boulevard half long main gasparilla parade childrens parade first held simple affair mostly featured school childrens organization pulling homemade float block downtown tampa though slowly increased complexity popularity decade moved current route usually draw attendee childrens parade feature many krewes several professional float featured main parade child krewe member costume ride float tossing bead trinket crowd local youth organization sport dance team also participate usually performing along route various activity event child held around downtown tampa hour childrens parade including preschooler stroll short informal parade small child riding piratethemed wagon stroller bicycle scooter reminiscent earliest version childrens parade add noise festivity pirate ship jose gasparilla usually sail nearby firing minicannons parade day end firework display tampa bay sant yago illuminated knight parade sometimes referred gasparilla night parade organized since krewe knight sant yago held historical neighborhood ybor city saturday night usually two week parade pirate midfebruary knight parade feature similar mix participant parade pirate twist float brightly illuminated since event begin dark though reputation adultoriented parade tampa gasparilla season city tried reduce public drunkenness unruly behavior recent year promoted parade familyfriendly event success besides three main parade many gala party fundraiser hosted individual krewes tampa long hosted variety gasparillarelated event approximately january march largescale event gasparilla season include gasparilla festival art established tampa rough rider st patrick day parade first held gasparilla distance classic road race established gasparilla film festival established gasparilla music festival established gasparilla bowl college football game renamed along variety event change year year one first related event gasparilla open pga tour stop sponsored ye mystic krewe gasparilla edition largest prize purse year pga tour deepening great depression tournament discontinued thereafter returned gasparilla invitational tournament amateur competition held annually ever since use name gasparilla wide variety local business organization smaller event ranging restaurant beauty pageant classic car show food festival use name gaspar gasparilla according florida department state entity registered related name local organization taken gasparilla pirate theme prominently national football league tampa bay buccaneer first took field installed replica pirate ship stand home field raymond james stadium organization event business use gaspar gasparilla affiliated ye mystic krewe gasparilla city tampa neither owns moniker feel widespread use name constitutes cobranding promotes similarly named organization tampa general others believe overuse could dilute meaning significance festival potential failure misstep one event organization might reflect poorly others ymkg began effort legally trademark name gasparilla protect use appropriate community event drawing complaint counterclaim others used name trademark narrow us issue considered united state trademark trial appeal board crowd size parade pirate typically making one largest annual parade united state expense paid ymkg membership due vendor fee ticket premium seating area corporate sponsorship city redeploying police staff resource limit financial contribution according study main parade alone local economic impact million combined event brought million official estimating impact increased year since promote area many springtime event visit tampa bay local tourist bureau run multimilliondollar advertising campaign across united state canada europe encouraging visitor experience gasparilla season theme gasparilla inspired legend pirate josé gaspar supposedly operated west coast spanish florida different version story say either spanish nobleman advisor king charles iii spain exiled romantic scandal court traitorous admiral spanish royal navy stole ship fled treachery revealed ambitious young officer spanish navy driven mutiny tyrannically cruel captain whatever origin legend agree gaspar fled virtually uninhabited southwestern coast spanish florida established pirate kingdom gasparilla island charlotte harbor south tampa bay gaspar said taken many ship held many female hostage ransom preying ship gulf mexico louisiana spanish main aboard flagship floriblanca exploit came sudden end avoid captured u navy pirate hunting schooner us enterprise wrapped anchor chain threw overboard shouting gasparilla dy hand enemy despite colorful history evidence pirate named gaspar gasparilla ever roamed florida coast archive spain make mention gaspar member spanish court officer spanish navy u navy documentation indicating vessel ever encountered pirate named gaspar ship named floriblanca neither gaspar anyone claiming member crew mentioned record hundred piracy trial era well golden age piracy also despite fact supposed location gaspar regal base gasparilla island developed resort town boca grande artifact physical evidence hideout ship lost treasure ever found southwest florida despite year searching amateur professional treasureseekers first written account josé gaspar appeared early part advertising brochure gasparilla inn newly established town boca grande gasparilla island brochure produced widely distributed charlotte harbor northern railway built resort end rail line besides promotional material contact information gasparilla inn brochure prominently featured story jose gasparilla last buccaneer said terrorized gulf mexico almost year among many dubious claim short biography said nickname gasparilla mean gaspar outlaw spanish actually diminutive form meaning little gaspar claimed gasparilla island named pirate name actually appears spanish english map well supposed arrival claimed bleached bone gaspar victim along many old coin discovered local indian mound find ever documented brochure also claimed bulk gaspar vast treasure cache still lie unmoved somewhere vicinity boca grande brochure penned publicist pat lemoyne combined embellished regional tall tale attributed wellknown recently deceased local fishing guide panther john gomez create legend pirate gaspar year later lemoyne gave local history lecture admitted written gasparilla story style tourist like hear without true fact author francis bradlee obtained copy gasparilla inn brochure assuming factual included gaspar book writing piracy west indie error led josé gaspar mentioned several additional nonfiction book piracy florida history causing ongoing confusion authenticity legend however though many version gaspar adventure told various form years—including pulp adventure novel tourist guide official history ye mystic krewe gasparilla—all basis fictional tale first printed advertisement gasparilla inn first gasparilla parade held may tampa tribune society editor louise france dodge tampa director custom george hardee decided combine element new orleans mardi gras legend local pirate promote enliven tampa may day celebration first occurrence consisted several dozen local businessmen disguising pirate riding horse town simulate surprise pirate invasion encouraging startled observer follow may day festival second gasparilla following year surprise every automobile owner town invited join mounted pirate parade piratethemed festival held revived part community celebration marking opening panama canal gasparilla carnival included pirate parade weekend festival organized independent event remained ever since pirate ship first several mock pirate invasion landbased backstory depicting pirate ship octopus anchored offshore first shipborne invasion came merchant vessel borrowed decorated temporarily rechristened jose gaspar day series borrowed ship used ye mystic krewe gasparilla bought old merchant sloop repurposed jose gasparilla used twenty year old wooden ship serious need repair renovation early financial assistance city tampa local chamber commerce ymkg commissioned replacement jose gasparilla ii debuted gasparillas th anniversary celebration used ever since though designed resemble thcentury west indiaman jose gasparilla ii actually footlong footwide steel barge tall mast bowsprit decorative element added unlike earlier gasparilla ship current pirate vessel neither operable sail engine gasparilla day guided flotilla hundred private boat watercraft three tugboat direction experienced harbor pilot jose gasparilla ii crossed tampa bay lead every invasion since launching except bad weather rough sea canceled flotilla though parade half century various gasparilla pirate ship would sail half mile hillsborough river plant park ground university tampa member ymkg would disembark parade construction tampa crosstown expressway ended tradition foot mast jose gasparilla ii fit highway bridge river near mouth since ship made way garrison channel gasparilla day dock along tampa riverwalk behind tampa convention center pirate crew disembarks among thousand reveler outside gasparilla season jose gasparilla ii usually found moored near northern end bayshore boulevard within sight downtown parade route least portion gasparilla parade pirate traversed bayshore boulevard near downtown almost since inception several decade parade route ended plant field florida state fair taking place drawing attendee simultaneous event fair moved much larger ground east tampa parade route usually remained traveling north bayshore boulevard ending near downtown approximately mile km total since parade route concluded curtis hixon waterfront park along tampa riverwalk festivity continue evening schedule gasparilla parade held conjunction various event early year timing varied took place first mock invasion held may piratethemed community festivity held date ranging february november prior world war parade related event canceled involvement united state war festivity resumed regularly scheduled midfebruary coincide florida state fair parade pirate went another hiatus world war ii returned set monday midfebruary tradition lasted almost four decade gasparilla day became official holiday hillsborough county period local school government office closed festivity parade pirate moved first saturday february outoftowners could easily take part since parade held last saturday january except major event gasparilla season canceled due ongoing impact covid pandemic scheduling parade pirate shifted year date two large parade season generally shifted well childrens parade held one week krewe sanyago illuminated knight parade held two week main gasparilla parade parade pirate related festivity faced various criticism long history complaint unruly crowd public drunkenness observation tradition local elite pretending rapacious pirate crew plundering city could seen problematic criticism root earliest iteration parade original organization behind festival critique led controversy gained national attention early though tampa home one largest prosperous hispanic community american south early th century strictly racially segregated like rest deep south ye mystic krewe gasparilla established tampa business civic elite depth jim crow era private somewhat secretive organization remained exclusively white male even public segregation rolled back parade made small step towards inclusion year female relative ymkg member formed krewe venus allowed participate gasparilla parade following year leading member tampa latin community formed krewe knight sant yago organized parade ybor city beginning however africanamericans others among tampa diverse population remained excluded ymkg local minority organization publicly pointing exclusion ymkg symbolized continued exclusion tampa top social economic circle membership largely overlapped local organization tampa chamber commerce key yacht country club invitation join ymkg allow invitee dress like pirate parade sign arrived community former tampa mayor bob buckhorn later reflected huge public debate role krewe gasparilla larger issue making sure everyone seat table particularly african american simmering issue grew heated controversy tampa ymkg agreed stage parade pirate week earlier usual coincide super bowl xxv played tampa stadium january planning commenced local chapter naacp urban league made use medias focus internationally broadcast event highlight ymkgs segregated membership city national football league pressured krewe admit first africanamerican member claiming racist organization open accepting black member ymkg argued september late expand membership parade canceled event instead city tampa hastily put together replacement parade called bamboleo billed multicultural festival pirate theme rainy weather helped dampen crowd replacement considered flop later ymkg admitted two black member agreed allow additional krewes join parade parade pirate returned expanded participant list better reflected community population tampa hosted super bowl xxxv parade moved saturday game planned decade integrated krewe gasparilla joined thirty krewes record crowd though supersized gasparilla well received seen sign community social progress city opted repeat schedule change hosting subsequent super bowl due serious challenge posed large crowd snarled traffic across downtown south tampa number krewes participating civic organization continued grow recent year dampening controversy inclusion due practical concern participation parade pirate limited fifty krewes per year smaller krewes taking turn rotating basis medium related gasparilla pirate fest wikimedia common gasparilla pirate festival – official site ye mystic krewe gasparilla record university south florida