2013 Gasparilla Party Guide

It’s a P-A-R-T-Y

When: Saturday, Janurary 26, 2013

Where: Tampa, Florida

Time: Parade goes from 2pm -5:30pm; Street festival goes from 10am-10pm

That’s right, Gasparilla once again hits Tampa and this year parade officials are expecting somewhere around 300,000 people to attend the annual event. Guaranteed to be a good time, here are some tips on how to also make sure that you don’t get in trouble while enjoying yourself. Last year, police arrested and ticketed over 400 people for things like underage drinking, open containers and public intoxication. Many people were unaware of the many changes that parade officials made in recent years that restrict where you can drink and what you can do. Don’t become one of those numbers, follow these guidelines:

1. Stay on the parade route with your beverages: This is a somewhat recent change to the parade rules but perhaps the most important one for you to remember as you celebrate. After years of neighbors complaining about the drinking taking place on local streets, police are really cracking down on where you can drink. There will be signs posted, but they are not always easy to see when there are so many people in the same space. Leaving the parade route, even to go somewhere nearby will cost you $75 for your first offense and the price will just go up from there. You can find the exact Gasparilla 2013 parade route here.
2. Leave your coolers at home: For safety reasons, the days of large coolers filled with beer are over. So leave your cooler behind for this year’s celebration. The good news is that you will be drinking for a good cause—100% of the revenue from the beer gardens goes to support local Tampa Bay area charities. Cheers to that!
3. Must be 21 to drink: This rule is not unique to Gasparilla but it will certainly be enforced during the parade so make sure you have your valid I.D. on you throughout the day.
4. No Flashing or Nudity: Again, fairly self-explanatory but keep your clothes on even if you are wearing very little to begin with!
5. Use the portable toilets: In addition to open container citations, the police will be on the lookout for anyone that wanders into a local yard or alley to go to the bathroom. Tampa police ticketed a bunch of people last year for urinating in public; try to avoid this one too! There are portable toilets all along the parade route and throughout the street fair for you to use.
6. Plan your ride home ahead of time: HART and TECO are running all day with passes for less than $5. Not surprisingly, Tampa police will be on high alert for anyone driving under the influence as he or she leaves Gasparilla. Avoid a costly DUI and plan your ride home ahead of time—take public transportation, hire a car service or have the number for a cab handy. The same advice goes for those of you celebrating on boats—designate a driver before you begin drinking!
7. Don’t bring any prohibited items: The official Gasparilla website lists items that are prohibited. They are: Styrofoam cups or containers, glass containers of any sort, advertising of any product or service, coolers (unless soft for children or medical needs), contest or lotteries of any kind, tents, fences, stakes or ropes, samples or giveaways, selling any product (unless you are a vendor). Vehicles, weapons and illegal drugs.

Gasparilla is meant to be a good time. Don’t spoil the fun by getting in trouble with the law the day of the celebration. If you do, make sure to give the law firm of Finebloom & Haenel P.A. a call to help you out. We are available day and night for a free consultation on your case.