Every year, an estimated 300,000 participants come to Tampa for Gasparilla Pirate Festival, a mock attack by a band of pirates called Ye Mystic Krewe. The pirates’ plot is simpl

Ahoy, Gasparilla season! Tampa's Mardi Gras-like festival is taking over downtown on Saturday. Why it matters: It's one of Tampa Bay's cultural touchstones — and even if you're not trying to get drunk with a bunch of bead-throwing Tampeños in ruffly shirts,

Our live updates for Gasparilla 2025 have concluded. Read more about the festivities here. TAMPA — Shiver me timbers: It was an especially cold morning for those pesky pirates invading Tampa again, but it warmed up as the festivities progressed Saturday.