Tampa's largest party is set to kickoff.

Saturday is the Gasparilla Parade in downtown Tampa. 

Pirates will take over the south Tampa area, starting in the waters in and around downtown before parading down Bayshore Boulevard. 

Hundreds of thousands of people will be in attendance so there are plenty of things to keep in mind if you plan on attending.  

The pirate invasion begins at 11:30 a.m. with the Jose Gasparilla pirate ship leading a flotilla across Hillsborough Bay and into Seddon Channel (channel between Davis Island & Harbour Island).

When the Jose Gasparilla docks at the Tampa Convention Center (at 1 p.m.), Mayor Bob Buckhorn will surrender the Key to the City of Tampa into the hands of the Captain of Ye Mystic Krewe of Gasparilla.

The Krewe will then launch its Parade of the Pirates down Bayshore Boulevard.

The parade begins at Bay to Bay Boulevard and Bayshore Boulevard. It continues along Bayshore Boulevard to Brorein Street, turns east on Brorein Street, then north on Ashley Drive. The parade ends at Cass Street & Ashley Drive near Curtis Hixon Park.

In addition to the invasion and parade, there will be live music in downtown Tampa along the Riverwalk and food and drink vendors along the parade route. 

Traffic and parking information: 

 City of Tampa Traffic & Parking Advisory for the Gasparilla Parade of Pirates - Saturday, January 28

Please note maps of the parade route, detours, street closure times, etc. are available at tampagov.net/Gasparilla. Scroll down towards the bottom for information on this weekend’s parade and activities.

City of Tampa Traffic & Parking Advisory for the Gasparilla Parade of Pirates - Saturday, January 28

Avast ye! The City of Tampa wants you to be prepared for heavier than normal traffic on Saturday, January 28, 2017 in downtown and south Tampa as we batten down the hatches and prepare for great fun and high adventure during the 101st Annual Gasparilla Pirate Fest!

The pirates arrive by sea as the fully rigged Jose Gasparilla sails into Seddon Channel and docks at the Tampa Convention Center at 1 p.m. Then, the marauding buccaneers gather at the intersection of Bay to Bay Blvd. and Bayshore Blvd. for the Gasparilla Parade of Pirates, which steps off at 2 p.m. The parade continues along Bayshore Blvd. to Brorein Street, turns east on Brorein Street, then north on Ashley Drive. The parade ends in downtown Tampa at Cass Street and Ashley Drive.

South Tampa Neighborhood Parking and Circulation Plans

The City is alerting the public of road closures and towing zones to minimize congestion in neighborhoods that border the parade route. “No Parking” signs have been installed in the neighborhoods west of Bayshore Blvd and will be in effect beginning on Friday, January 27, 2017 through Saturday, January 28, 2017. Any vehicles parked on the streets in the affected neighborhoods will be cited and towed at the owner’s expense. Tampa Police advise motorists not to park their vehicles in the “No Parking” areas to avoid having their vehicles towed.

Street Closure Schedule

Monday, January 16 – Thursday, February 2, 2017

Median Closures at DeSoto Ave, Nance Ave, Albany Ave & Gunby Ave at Bayshore Blv

Friday, January 27,  2017 @ 10:00 PM

Bayshore Blvd from Gandy Blvd to Platt St

Bay to Bay from Bayshore Blvd to Ysabella St

Davis Island Bridge Off Ramp onto NB Bayshore Dr

Bayshore Blvd from Brorein St to Platt St

Saturday, January 28, 2017 @ 3:00 AM 

Platt St/Channelside Dr from Plant Ave to Franklin St

Brorein St from Florida Ave to Parker St

Saturday, January 28, 2017 @ 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 28, 2017 @ 7:00 AM

Ashley Dr from Brorein St to Jackson St

Brorein St from Jefferson St 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)

Crosstown- EB Morgan Offramp (6B)

Saturday, January 28, 2017 @ 9:00 AM

Kennedy from Hyde Park Ave to Ashley Dr (EB)

Ashley Dr from Split to Jackson St (Cass and Tyler will remain open @ Ashley for EW Traffic to Poe Garage)

Jackson St from Ashley Dr to Tampa St

Kennedy Blvd from Florida Ave to Plant Ave (WB)

Madison St from Ashley Dr to Florida Ave

Twiggs St from Ashley Dr to Florida Ave

Zack St from Ashley Dr to Florida Ave

Polk St from Ashley Dr to Florida Ave

Cass EB from Blvd to Doyle Carlton (Poe Garage Exit)

Saturday, January 28, 2017 @ 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

Saturday, January 28, 2017 @ 1:00 PM

Cass St from N Blvd to Tampa St

Tyler St from Ashley Dr to Cass St

Saturday, January 28, 2017 @ 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 Willow (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

Florida at Kay Dual NBLT

Saturday, January 28, 2017 @ 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)

City of Tampa Parking Information

For access to the Gasparilla Parade of Pirates in South Tampa, consider using 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 –At 9:30 a.m. at a rate of $4 per vehicle entry. Due to the parade route, this garage will be closed from 1:00 p.m. until 6:00 p.m. Customers will not be able to enter or exit this garage until after 6:00 p.m. For those attending the Straz 8 p.m. show, Poe Garage will reopen at 6:30 p.m. and there will be a $6 flat rate paid on entry.

• 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 7 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 morning and the evening, consider using the following garages and lots:

• The Selmon Expressway Lots - $15 flat rate for the circus

• South Regional Garage - $12 flat rate and will be open from 7 a.m. – 10:30 a.m. for parade & circus parking. After 10:30 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 7 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.

Getting to the Straz Center

Drivers attending the 1 p.m. and 8 p.m. shows of Cabaret at the Straz Center are encouraged to take one of the following routes:

From South Tampa

- Dale Mabry NB to I-275 NB

- I-275 NB to Exit 44 Ashley Dr.

- Continue on Ashley Dr. to Tyler St

- Right on Tyler St to available parking

From Brandon 

- I-4 WB to Downtown Exit 45A

- Follow Downtown West sign to Doyle Carlton Dr.

- Left on Doyle Carlton Dr. through Laurel St to available parking

From St. Pete/Clearwater 

- I-275 NB to Exit 44 Ashley Dr.

- Continue on Ashley Dr. to Tyler St

- Right on Tyler St to available parking

From North Tampa

- South on Tampa St to Laurel St

- Right on Laurel St to Doyle Carlton Dr.

- Left on Doyle Carlton Dr. to available parking.

OR

- I-1275 SB to Downtown Exit 45A 

- Follow Downtown West sign to Doyle Carlton Dr.

- Left on Doyle Carlton Dr. through Laurel St to available parking

See Something Say Something

The Tampa Police Department would like to remind all celebrating pirates to report suspicious activity. If you see something, say something. No tip is too small. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9U7kLtBrsoo

Stay in Touch

Updates will also be shared on social media via Facebook on the City of Tampa Government and Tampa Police Department pages, and via twitter @cityoftampa @cot_traffic and @tampapd.