This quirky festival began in 1904, and has been held every year since. It takes place in late January and features; you guessed it, a pirate theme! The festival is kicked off with fireworks, and also includes fun parades. The fireworks aren’t like other ones though. These “piratechnics” are staged to resemble a specific theme, such as two pirate ships battling, or countless other yearly scenes.
This festival is comparable to Mardi gras, but with additional child friendly themes added. There are a lot of fun things for children to do and plenty for adults as well. The festival directors try to find a good balance between family friendly and adult friendly. Most night time events are only for those 21 or older, though the official event is alcohol free to protect the safety of participants. There is even a pageant for Miss Gasparilla that is held each year. There are also plenty of vendors, food, and music for all.
Plan to spend a week at the festival if you want to take part in all of the events. A car rental in Tampa can help you get around from place to place, especially if you want to visit other areas. There are special arrangements for directing traffic, so you at the festival site you will need to park and ride a shuttle.