January is Gasparilla Pirate Season on Florida’s Gulf Coast. Are you ready for it? All you need is an adventurous spirit, some of your best pirate garb, and your sea legs! Actually, you can be a landlubber, too. Here are the highlights of the Gasparilla Pirate Festival in Tampa and its related events, as well as a Pirate Invasion right in Indian Rocks Beach, Florida. Tell your mateys, aye!

Children’s Gasparilla

January 19, 2019

11a.m.-7:30p.m.

Downtown Tampa, Florida

This alcohol-free event celebrates the return of Gasparilla season each and every year to Tampa Bay. It’s perfect for the little swashbucklers in your life and makes for a fun and free family-friendly event.

Vendors and children’s activities open along Bayshore Blvd., from Bay to Bay to Edison Avenue at 11a.m. with plenty of fun to follow. Activities include a Bicycle Safety Rodeo, Preschoolers Stroll, Children’s Parade, Gasparilla Air Invasion, and Piratechnics to end the event. (That’s pirate speak for fireworks.) Save the date!

Gasparilla Pirate Festival

January 26, 2019

9a.m. to 9p.m.

Downtown Tampa, Florida

This is the main event, folks! It’s the 102nd Gasparilla Invasion and Parade of the Pirates presented by Ye Mystic Krewe of Gasparilla. It’s free, with a few ticketed special events.

The Gasparilla Pirate Fest gets bigger and better every year! An expanded Pirate Fest event in 2019 features stages along the Riverwalk in downtown Tampa with stages for live entertainment pre and post parade in Curtis Hixon Waterfront Park, MacDill Park, The Sail Pavilion at the Tampa Convention Center, and Fergs Tampa. Then there’s the usual antics with the Pirate Invasion and Parade of Pirates. Mark ye calendar!

Gasparilla JazzFEST

January 27, 2019

10a.m. to 4p.m. 

Curtis Hixon Waterfront Park

Check out this new addition to Gasparilla season. The first annual JazzFEST hits the streets for more free, family-friendly fun. Come hungry and ready to hear some of the best jazz performers around. 

Jam to the live music, grab a bite to eat from the food trucks, or purchase a brunch ticket and spend your Sunday the best way. Award-winning performers this year include: Jeanette Harris and Althea Rena, NAJEE, and Omari Dillard. You won’t want to miss this, so plan to make it an entire Gasparilla weekend. 

Pirates Invade Indian Rocks Beach

January 25-27, 2019

Times TBA

Indian Rocks Beach, Florida

For those who want to celebrate Gasparilla season a little closer to home (or to your Indian Rocks Beach or Indian Shores beach vacation rental), then this local Pirate Invasion is just for you.

Last year was the start of a more localized celebration of Gasparilla season here in Indian Rocks Beach for those who couldn’t make it across the bay for the big event in Tampa. Thus Party Pirates on the Rocks was born. The Party Pirates are back again this year and are invading Jimmy Guana’s on Friday night January 25th around 6pm, followed by a huge party all day Saturday,  January 26th at Caddy’s Pub along with the flotilla and pirate march. Times to be determined, so stay tuned to the Party Pirates on the Rocks Facebook page for the latest updates. There is also assigned VIP docking available. If you want to join in the flotilla please contact Stacy Myers at 813-477-3747. Monday, January 21st there is a Captains Meeting held at Caddy’s Pub at 7pm. All pirates are closing out the weekend Sunday morning, January 27 at Island Way Grill for brunch. Make your reservation and wear your pirate hats!