I have been Gasparella Pirates Festa. And it is recommended event if you would love to meet pirates!
The Gasparilla Pirate Festival is a large parade and a host of related community events held in Tampa, Florida almost every year since 1904.[1] The theme of the festivities is an invasion by the mythical pirate José Gaspar (also known as Gasparilla), who is a popular figure in Florida folklore even though there is no evidence that he actually existed.[2] The focal point of Gasparilla is the Parade of Pirates, which is held on the last Saturday in January and is often referred to as the Gasparilla Parade. Since its inception, it has been organised by Ye Mystic Krewe of Gasparilla (YMKG), an organization modeled after the “krewes” that participate in Mardi Gras in New Orleans. On Gasparilla Day, members of YMKG sail into downtown Tampa aboard their large replica pirate ship and demand that the mayor hand over the key to the city. Afterwards, they stage a “victory parade” along Bayshore Boulevard accompanied by dozens of other krewes and community organisations.[3]
The two other major parades during Tampa’s Gasparilla season are the Gasparilla Children’s Parade, which is held on Bayshore Boulevard one week before the main parade, and the Sant’Yago Illuminated Knight Parade, which is organized by the Krewe of the Knights of Sant’Yago in the historic neighborhood of Ybor City two weeks after the main parade. Each of these events typically draw about 100,000 revelers.[4][5]
Gasparilla began in 1904 as an informal pirate parade that was only a small part of a larger community celebration, such as Tampa’s May Day festival. It was first held as a stand-alone event in 1913, and over the decades, it has grown from humble beginnings to become third largest parade in the United States with a local economic impact of over $20 million and an average attendance of about 300,000.[3] Eventually, it expanded into a “Gasparilla season” which runs from approximately mid-January to mid-March. Besides the three large parades, the city of Tampa hosts many other related events during this time, including the Gasparilla Film Festival, the Gasparilla Festival of the Arts, the Gasparilla Distance Classic, and the Gasparilla Music Festival, along with an ever-changing lineup of minor events. The Gasparilla Parade of Pirates was once closely connected with the Florida State Fair, which was held at Plant Field near downtown Tampa at the end of the traditional parade route. The fair moved to a much larger location east of Tampa in the mid-1970s, but it still takes place during Gasparilla season. (by Wikipedia)
You will be impressive and exited with this festival.
I met guys from Germany, they come every year.
