Gasparilla Pirate Fest: invasion, parade times, seats, parking

Last checked Oct. 10, 2026. Dates, times, rules and ticket prices come from the organizers’ Gasparilla Pirate Fest page, its schedule and FAQ, and from the City of Tampa’s Gasparilla page. This page is updated each year at the same address.

Gasparilla Pirate Fest is Saturday, Jan. 30, 2027. The pirate ship Jose Gasparilla sails up the Seddon Channel and docks at the Tampa Convention Center at 1 p.m., and the Parade of Pirates follows from 2 to 6 p.m. along Bayshore Boulevard. It is free. Ye Mystic Krewe of Gasparilla has staged the parade every year since 1904, and the city expects more than 300,000 spectators across Pirate Fest and Children’s Gasparilla the week before.

Know before you go

• Date: Saturday, Jan. 30, 2027, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.
• Invasion: 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., Tampa Convention Center basin
• Parade: 2 to 6 p.m., 4.5 miles on Bayshore Boulevard into downtown
• Cost: free; reserved seats $55 to $90
• Not allowed: coolers, glass, outside food and drink, pets
• Questions: EventFest, 813-251-3378; reserved tickets, 813-251-8844

The day, hour by hour

From the organizers’ schedule; times are subject to change.

The city describes the ship as built of steel, 165 feet long, with three masts 100 feet above the deck, towed by tugboats with a crew of 700 pirates. The parade has about 140 units of krewes, floats, marching bands and social clubs. The FAQ says the parade committee releases the lineup in mid-January.

Reserved seats and prices for 2027

Watching from the curb is free. Reserved seats are sold through GasparillaTreasures.com (813-251-8844), which says prices are unchanged from last year:

• Bleacher seats at Barcelona Street and Bayshore: $55 to $65
• Marina District bleachers, near Verne Street (waterside): $60 to $70
• First Mate seating at Carolina Avenue: $80 to $85
• First Mate seating at Rome Avenue, or Marina District landside: $85 to $90
• Gasparilla Invasion Brunch at the Convention Center: $175
• Scully hospitality tents (north or south): $190

Road closures and parking

• Closures: many downtown and South Tampa streets close. The city’s Gasparilla parade information page will post the closures and route as the date gets closer; the organizers’ 2027 route map was not yet posted when we checked. City special events office: 813-274-8750.
• Parking: city garages and lots downtown charge a special event rate on entry, and some businesses sell passes for their own lots, the parking page says. Neighborhood parking next to the route is not allowed and cars are towed.
• Transit: the organizers say a guide to streetcar and bus service on parade day will be published later this fall. Check FL511 for traffic.
• Crossing Bayshore: cross before the parade starts. During the parade, people with reserved seats may cross at seating gates only in a break, with an escort.

Rules: what to bring and what to leave

From the FAQ:

• Beer and wine are sold at charity beer gardens to guests 21 and over with a photo ID. The organizers say all net revenue goes to Tampa Bay charities.
• Outside food and drink, coolers and glass are not allowed. Small soft-sided bags for child care or medical needs are fine.
• Pets are prohibited except service animals. Strollers are allowed.
• Tents, rope and fencing to save space are not allowed. Claim a spot any time after dawn by being there; chairs and blankets are fine.
• Bicycles can be ridden to the event but must be walked inside the closure.
• Rain: the invasion and parade go on in the rain, but EventFest, the krewe and the city may cancel for dangerous weather.

Accessibility

A free viewing area for guests with disabilities is at Ashley Drive and Whiting Street downtown; each guest may bring up to three people, and there are no seats. A limited number of permit-holder spaces are in the Fort Brooke Garage, first come, first served.

On the water

Boats longer than 65 feet need dock space and a permit to join the flotilla; the krewe’s office is at 813-251-4500. The invasion route is an idle-speed, no-wake zone, personal watercraft and boats without motors are barred from it, and about 40 law enforcement vessels patrol the bay, the FAQ says.

After the parade: the Outbound Voyage

The season ends Saturday, Feb. 27, 2027, when the krewe boards the Jose Gasparilla II for a final sail around Davis and Harbor islands and docks downtown with local pediatric cancer survivors. Details are on the Outbound Voyage page.

Frequently asked questions

When is Gasparilla 2027? Gasparilla Pirate Fest is Saturday, Jan. 30, 2027. The organizers hold it on the last Saturday in January, a week after Children’s Gasparilla on Jan. 23.

What time is the Gasparilla invasion and parade? The invasion flotilla arrives from 11:30 a.m., and the Jose Gasparilla docks at the Tampa Convention Center at 1 p.m. The Parade of Pirates runs from 2 to 6 p.m.

Is Gasparilla free? Yes. Gasparilla Pirate Fest is free to attend. Reserved parade seats for 2027 cost $55 to $90, the Invasion Brunch costs $175 and hospitality tents cost $190.

Can I bring a cooler or my dog to Gasparilla? No. Coolers, glass and outside food and drink are not allowed on the parade route, and pets are prohibited except service animals, the organizers say.

How long is the Gasparilla parade route? The Parade of Pirates covers 4.5 miles along Bayshore Boulevard and into downtown Tampa, with about 140 krewes, floats, bands and other groups.

What this means for you

• Plan for crowds and closures across South Tampa and downtown all day on Jan. 30.
• If you want a curb spot on Bayshore, arrive early; space is first come, first served.
• Reserved seats tend to sell quickly; the ticket office says early buying is recommended.

Related: Children’s Gasparilla, the Sant’Yago Knight Parade, the Gasparilla Festival of the Arts, getting around Tampa and the Tampa Riverwalk.