The Legendary Gasparilla of Tampa Bay

By William E. Males

Avast, ye mateys! It’s that time of year again for Tampa’s annual re-enactment of its famous historic pirate invasion with the Gasparilla Flotilla. For more than a century the festive people of Tampa have been faithfully celebrating this “last of the buccaneers” with a yearly celebration that takes weeks to exhaust the wind from her sails.  Arrrrgh, I tell ya me hearties, it’s a grand time to be a swashbuckling scallywag in these here warm Tampa Bay waters.   

By the powers, come this Saturday at 11:30 that thar still- floating, war-waging 165 foot pirate vessel, the Jose Gasparilla, will once again sail up from the south of Hillsboro Bay laying siege upon the shores of Tampa City. Be certain matey, once again she’ll be met head on by a fleet jolly citizenry in their festooned water vessels in another vain attempt to be fend off the determined renegades. But alas, their loyalty will again swiftly surrender to overshadowing ship full of swashbuckling pirates. Then together, the whole vivacious Gasparilla Flotilla will make its way north across Hillsborough Bay and up into Seddon Channel, where ya’ll need to keep your heads low, mateys, as the annual Gasparilla Invasion begins! There’ll be booming cannons with bellowing smoke as the Mystic Krewe of Gasparilla seeks yet again to takes over Tampa, and trust me matey, they do a right nice job every time.

This is Tampa Bay’s unmatched pirate festival which has been proudly held for over 100 years, attracting eager participants from all over the world. Tampa comes alive with excitement, animation, and triumphant swashbuckling in streets filled with music and a rich bounty supply of food, grog and some good ole’ pirate’s rum at night for the ladies, arrrrgh! The whole town illuminates with the festivities as buccaneers from all over come together for some rich time of hearty celebration. Mind ya, me hearties, this here ain’t no one day affair neither, as these merriments are bound to last many weeks. Already the local buccaneers have celebrated with the Gasparilla Children's Parade and were sharing the booty with the wee scutters as Tampa has once again masterly kicked of the festivities which will continue three weeks till the annual Krewe of the Knights of Sant' Yago Parade is held in Ybor City. With a large booty of colorful beads, plastic souvenir golden doubloons, and other treasures to share with the thousands of eager party-goers, Gasparilla is Tampa's equivalent of Mardi Gras on steroids, arrrrgh.

This is a time when Tampa is literally transformed into an exuberant city wide celebration filled with thousand of attendees fully clad to suit the revelry with flamboyant pirate costumes and other appropriate celebratory wear as the honorable Captain of Ye Mystic Krewe of Gasparilla and his band of marauding buccaneers celebrate another successful invasion with the Pirate Fest Street Festival. If you ain’t too lily livered and up for some hearty fun and excitement for the whole family then be sure to secure your seating tickets for the parade and come watch as the century long tradition of Gasparilla kicks off once again with the smoke and booms from the pirates cannons as they warn that there ain’t no way stay off these swashbucklers when they want come to ashore and make merry.

So don’t ya all be a bunch of squiffies and get caught trying to steer clear of the unavoidable grand time coming to town. These swashbuckling pirates are masters at throwing a party and keeping the excitement alive. So grab yer beautiful lass and round up them thar little scutters ye landlocked lubbers and scuttle on downtown to join in on the activities  . . . cause anyone caught complaining, leaving or even having a bad time, me hearties, will be flogged with me cat of nine tails. Arrrrrgh, the scurvy dogs will have to walk the plank for being worthless mutineers who’ll answer to Davy Jones himself.  So be certain to avoid the curse and come pillage along with us some of the sweetest treasure to be had. You’ll be sure grabbin’ yourself a fistful grandiose memories for the kiddies as they too learned how say a hearty, Arrrrrrgh!

 Avast! Ye all come, mateys! . . . and don’t be a worthless son of a biscuit eater and forget your scarf and eye patch . . . Arrrrrgh!