Get your pirate costumes ready, Gasparilla 2013 is almost here! Tampa’s annual festival that includes everything from a pirate ship taking over the city to a huge parade down Bayshore Boulevard hits our city on Saturday January 26, 2013. With so many people attending the festivities this year, here’s the information you need to know in order to make the most of this year’s fun!
Parking & Docking
There will be special event parking set up in Downtown Tampa as well as Ybor City. For those of you that live in these areas, be on the lookout for special restrictions starting Thursday afternoon to avoid costly tickets and towing.
Once you have parked, you can take the TECO line street car of the HART bus service to get to the heart of the activity. Both have continuous service throughout the day and an all day TECO pass can be purchased for $5 and an all day HART pass can be purchased for $3.75.
On a related note—you are allowed to use your bike to get to the event site but you must walk your bike once you are inside. Before you bike, you may want to consider the great public transportation options available as the streets will be very crowded.
For more information on Gasparilla parking and transportation click here.
If you are looking to dock you boat at Gasparilla, be warned that dock space will be VERY limited on the day of the event. There is limited docking space available at The Tampa Convention Center or in the Marina area along Bayshore between Platt Street and the Davis Island Bridge, available through the City of Tampa Parks Department. If you have a boat larger than 65’ in length then you need to secure your dock space ahead of time and also gain special permission to participate.
For more information on boat docking call: 813-259-1604.
Due to some landscaping improvements and new construction in the area, the actual viewing area for the parade may be a little smaller than it was in years past so be sure to get there early to get a good spot to watch the festivities from!
Fees
Gasprialla is a free community event so you won’t need cash if you are just wanting to watch the parade and enjoy the great music. If you would like reserved seating or a ticket to the Invasion Brunch, here’s a look at the various prices
-Invasion Brunch- $70.09
-Invasion Brunch & Reserved Parade Seating Combo: $97.20 ($87.85 for a child)
-Reserved Bleacher Parade Seating: $35.51
-Reserved Hospitality Experience Ticket: $102.80
All tickets and merchandise can be purchased here.
Food & Beverages
If you have attended before, you know there are tons of food vendors to choose from and the 2013 celebration will be no exception. There will be over 100 vendors located throughout the event site. You are also allowed to bring in your own food and beverages. Here are some of the food and beverage items you cannot bring to the event:
-Alcoholic beverages
-Glass containers
-Coolers (other than soft-sided coolers for childcare and medical needs)
-Grills
-Styrophone cups and containers
You will be able to purchase alcohol at one of the Gasparilla Charity Beer Gardens.
There is typically a lot of drinking taking place at Gasparilla and the Tampa police are on the lookout for anyone breaking the law with open containers or driving under the influence. If you have an issue at the event or anywhere else, give the law firm of Finebloom & Haenel P.A. a call to discuss your case.
Stay tuned for more posts updating you on Gasparilla 2013!
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