Gasparilla is coming to town, and the City of Tampa is getting ready for the annual invasion.

City officials say people who are heading to Gasparilla this year should be aware of potential issues surrounding parking and transportation during the Annual Pirate Invasion.

Public parking in Ybor City may be impacted by the current construction projects along 21st and 22nd streets between Adamo Drive and I-4. Sections of both roads are reduced from three lanes to one, which will create additional traffic backups.

In addition, a Saturday matinee performance of "The Book of Mormon" will be taking place at the Straz Center for the Performing Arts. Event attendees should allow extra time to get to the venue and find parking.

Parade route

The pirates will arrive by sea and dock at the Tampa Convention Center at 1 p.m. Then they will gather at the intersection of Bay to Bay and Bayshore boulevards for the parade, which steps off at 2 p.m.

The parade will continue along Bayshore Boulevard to Brorein Street, then will turn east on Brorein Street, then north on Ashley Drive.

The parade ends in downtown Tampa at Cass Street and Ashley Drive.

Road closures

City officials are closing roads and establishing towing zones to minimize congestion in neighborhoods that boreder the parade route. "No Parking" signs are in place in the neighborhoods west of Bayshore Boulevard, and they will be in effect on Friday and Saturday.

Any vehicles parked in the streets in those neighborhoods will be cited and towed at the owner's expense.

Sunday, January 18 – Sunday, February 1, 2015

  • Bayshore Blvd Crossover Closure at DeSoto Ave, Nance Ave, Albany Ave & Gunby Ave

Friday, January 30, 2015 @ 10:00 PM

  • Bayshore Blvd from Gandy Blvd to Platt St/Channelside Dr
  • Bay to Bay from Bayshore Blvd to Ysabella St
  • Davis Islands Bridge Off Ramp onto NB Bayshore Dr
  • Saturday, January 31, 2015 @ 3:00 AM
  • Bayshore Blvd from Brorein St to Platt St
  • Platt St/Channelside Dr from Plant Ave to Franklin St

Saturday, January 31, 2015 @ 5:30 AM

  • Crosstown- EB Willow Ave Off Ramp (Exit 4)
  • Willow Ave from Platt St to Swann Ave (SB lanes closed only, 1-way NB)

Saturday, January 31, 2015 @ 7:00 AM

  • Ashley Dr from Brorein St to Jackson St
  • Brorein St from Florida Ave to Parker St
  • Franklin St from Channelside Dr to Harbour Island Bridge
  • Old Water St from Florida Ave to Franklin St
  • Washington St from Ashley Dr to Tampa St
  • Whiting St from Ashley Dr to Tampa St
  • Whiting St from Florida Ave to Franklin St (WB)

Saturday, January 31, 2015 @ 9:00 AM

  • Kennedy from Hyde Park Ave to Ashley Dr (EB)
  • Ashley Dr from Cass St to Jackson St
  • Jackson St from Ashley Dr to Tampa St
  • Kennedy Blvd from Florida Ave to Plant Ave (WB)
  • Madison St from Ashley Dr to Tampa St
  • Madison St from Florida Ave to Tampa St (WB)
  • Twiggs St from Ashley Dr to Tampa St
  • Twiggs St from Florida Ave to Tampa St (WB)
  • Zack St from Ashley Dr to Tampa St
  • Zack St from Florida Ave to Tampa St (WB)
  • Polk St from Ashley Dr to Tampa St
  • Polk St from Florida Ave to Tampa St (WB)
  • Tyler St from Florida Ave to Tampa St (WB)

Saturday, January 31, 2015 @ 11:00 AM

  • Cass St from Willow Ave to N Blvd
  • North A St from Willow Ave to Newport Ave
  • North B St from Willow Ave to Newport Ave
  • Fig St from Willow Ave to Gilchrist Ave
  • Carmen St from Willow Ave to Delaware Ave
  • Newport Ave from Cass St to North A St
  • Gilchrist Ave from Cass St to Fig St
  • Cass St from N Blvd to Ashley Dr (EB)

Saturday, January 31, 2015 @ 1:30 PM

  • Cass St from N Blvd to Tampa St
  • Tyler St from Tampa St to Cass St

Saturday, January 31, 2015 @ 3:00 PM

  • Bay-to-Bay Blvd from MacDill Ave to Ysabella Ave (EB)
  • Swann Ave from MacDill Ave to Armenia Ave (EB lanes closed only, 1-way WB)
  • Platt St at Howard Ave (EB)
  • Platt St at S Blvd (EB)
  • Willow Ave from Kennedy Blvd to Cleveland St
  • Willow Ave from Cleveland St to Platt St (SB)
  • South Blvd from Kennedy Blvd to Cleveland St
  • South Blvd from Cleveland St to Platt St (SB)
  • Whiting St from Tampa St to Franklin St

Saturday, January 31, 2015 @ 4:30 PM

  • Kennedy Blvd at Himes Ave (EB)
  • Kennedy Blvd at MacDill Ave (EB)
  • Kennedy Blvd at Howard Ave (EB)
  • Kennedy Blvd at Willow Ave (EB)
  • Kennedy Blvd at Blvd (EB)

Tampa parking information

City officials suggest people who plan to attend the Gasparilla parade in south Tampa use the following garages and lots:

  • Ft Brooke Garage - $10 flat rate and will open at 7 a.m.
  • Jackson Street Parking Lot - hourly rate of $1.60/hr, with a $9.50 daily maximum and will open at 7 a.m.
  • Poe Garage – hourly rate of $1.20/hr, with a $7.00 daily maximum and will open at 6 a.m. At 10:30am the garage will switch for to a $4 flat rate for the Straz mantinee.
  • Royal Regional Lot – $10 flat rate and will open at 7 a.m.
  • Tampa Convention Center Garage - $10 flat rate and will open at 7 a.m.
  • Twiggs Street Garage - hourly rates of $1.20/hr, with a $7 daily maximum and will open at 6 a.m.
  • All numbered spaces on Kennedy Blvd. and south of Kennedy Blvd. are enforced up until midnight at the standard hourly rate.

For access to the Amalie Arena in the evening, consider using the following garages and lots:

  • The Selmon Express Way Lots - $12 flat rate for hockey
  • South Regional Garage - $10 flat rate and will be open from 8 a.m. – 10 a.m. for parade parking. After 10 a.m. parking will be restricted to Arena Reserved Parking Passes for the remainder of the day.

For access to downtown and south Tampa from historic Ybor City, consider using the following garages and utilizing HART services:

  • Centro Ybor and Palm Avenue Garages - will open at 6 a.m at the standard hourly rate. HART park and ride available from both locations.

HART will be offering extra streetcar, bus, and trolley services. For more information about HART service during this special event, please call (813) 254-4278 or visit www.goHART.org.