The free Gasparilla Festival of the Arts brings 250-plus artists to Julian B. Lane Riverfront Park. 2026 was Feb. 28 to March 1; 2027 dates are not out yet.

Last checked Oct. 10, 2026. Facts come from Gasparilla Arts’ festival site, its event overview and parking guide, and the City of Tampa’s festival page. This page is updated each year at the same address.

The 2027 dates for the Raymond James Gasparilla Festival of the Arts have not been announced. The organizers say the festival opens in February at Julian B. Lane Riverfront Park; the 2026 festival ran Saturday, Feb. 28, and Sunday, March 1. Admission is free. Jurors are reviewing artist applications for 2027 now, Gasparilla Arts says, and we will add the dates here when they are posted.

Know before you go

  • 2027 dates: not announced yet; the festival is held in February
  • Last year: Saturday, Feb. 28, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Sunday, March 1, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., 2026
  • Where: Julian B. Lane Riverfront Park
  • Cost: free
  • Parking: Blake High School $15; free street parking west of the park; free shuttles from downtown garages
  • Questions: Gasparilla Arts, 813-876-1747, info@gasparillaarts.com

What the festival is

The festival is a juried outdoor fine art show with more than 250 artists, live music on main and children’s stages, food trucks and a children’s activity tent, according to the organizers. Artists compete for nearly $100,000 in prize money and scholarships, including the $15,000 Raymond James Best of Show Award, the 2027 rules say. The organizers estimate attendance at 30,000.

It began as a sidewalk art show downtown in 1971, the city says, growing out of the juried art exhibit that used to hang at the Florida State Fair. Gasparilla Arts, a nonprofit staffed by volunteers, produces it. The 2027 festival will be the 57th.

At the park

From the event overview:

  • Information booth: west side of the park, near the splash pad and play cove.
  • Food and drink: food trucks on the north side, south of the basketball courts; a food court with picnic tables on the south side. Beer and wine are sold near the VIP tent, just west of the River Center, and near the food areas.
  • Water: a refill station west of the food vendors on the south end.
  • Restrooms: near the food court, near the south entrance and at both ends of the splash pad. VIP restrooms are for VIP guests only.
  • Tickets: admission is free; the VIP tent and Artist Awards Showcase are ticketed.

Parking, shuttles and other ways in

From the organizers’ parking and transportation guide:

  • Blake High School, just north of the park: $15, with proceeds to the school’s booster club.
  • Free street parking just west of the park; Doyle Carlton Drive is about a five-minute walk.
  • Accessible parking: North and South lots, for vehicles with accessible parking tags, first come, first served.
  • Downtown garages: the Poe Garage has a $10 prepaid event rate set by the city, and the Rivergate Tower and Fort Brooke garages are also listed.
  • Free shuttles: 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday and 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday last year, from the Poe Garage (Cass Street and Gasparilla Plaza), the Rivergate Tower Garage (Twiggs Street and Ashley Drive) and a stop at 1001 N. Boulevard by the park.
  • Pirate Water Taxi: stops at Curtis Hixon Park and just north of Julian B. Lane park.
  • Bikes: free bike valet at the tennis courts, run with the Tampa Downtown Partnership.
  • DASH: the downtown hub-to-hub ride service costs $2 a person through its app.

Frequently asked questions

When is the Gasparilla Festival of the Arts 2027? The 2027 dates had not been announced when we checked on Oct. 10, 2026. The organizers say the festival opens in February; in 2026 it ran Saturday, Feb. 28, and Sunday, March 1.

Is the Gasparilla Festival of the Arts free? Yes. Admission is free. VIP tent tickets and the Artist Awards Showcase are sold separately.

Where is the Gasparilla Festival of the Arts? Julian B. Lane Riverfront Park, on the Hillsborough River west of downtown Tampa. Free shuttles run from the Poe and Rivergate Tower garages downtown.

Where do you park for the Gasparilla Festival of the Arts? Blake High School, just north of the park, charges $15. There is free street parking west of the park, and the Poe Garage has a $10 prepaid event rate with a free shuttle.

What are the festival hours? In 2026 the festival ran 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday. The organizers’ artist rules for 2027 use the same hours.

What this means for you

  • Keep a February weekend open; we will post the 2027 dates as soon as Gasparilla Arts does.
  • The shuttle from the Poe Garage is the simplest way in if Blake High School’s lot fills.
  • Artists show work in a wide range of mediums and price points, the organizers say, so browsing costs nothing.

Related: the Tampa Riverwalk, Gasparilla Pirate Fest, the Florida State Fair, free things to do in Tampa and things to do this month.