Whether on land or sea, thousands of people crowded Tampa’s waterfront along Bayshore Boulevard on Saturday for the Pirates’ Gasparilla Parade. It started with a routine invasion at the Tampa Convention Center, where Mayor Jane Custer gave up the keys to the city.
The party included the usual alcohol, beads and cannon fire to thrill a crowd of over 120 units, including over 50 crews on floats and a lively marching band.
The Jose Gasparilla II Pirate Ship approaches the Tampa Convention Center with members of Gasparilla’s Ye Mystic Crew. (Jefferee Woo | Times)
People hold up stuffed animals during the parade. (Luis Santana | Times)
People cheer beads along the parade route. (Luis Santana | Times)
Jose Gasparilla II’s Pirate Ship prepares to dock with members of Gasparilla’s Ye Mystic Crew at the Tampa Convention Center. (Jefferee Woo | Times)
Gasparilla Pirates’ Mystic Krewe swallows beads at the Tampa Convention Center. (Luis Santana | Times)
People reach out to grab beads during the Pirate Gasparilla parade. (Jefferee Woo | Times)
Members of the Howard W. Break Dancing and Marching Band perform during the Pirates’ Gasparilla Parade. (Luis Santana | Times)
Rage along the parade. (Luis Santana | Times)
Howard W. breakdancing and marching band members will perform on the parade route. (Luis Santana | Times)
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Parade floats will travel down Bayshore Blvd. (Luis Santana | Times)
Parade participants cheer the crowd and welcome the waves. (Jefferee Woo | Times)
The Tampa Bay Bucs beat the line march and play for the crowd. (Jefferee Woo | Times)
Parade participants in pirate costumes celebrate during the festival. (Jefferee Woo | Times)
Parade participants ride on floats modeled after pirate ships. (Jefferee Woo | Times)
A man with many beads dancing for the crowd. (Jefferee Woo | Times)
Parade participants use grabber tools to pick up beads along the parade route. (Jefferee Woo | Times)
Those receiving the parade tip their hats for the chance to receive beads. (Jefferee Woo | Times)
Brian Macdonald is also depicted in some of his parrots, with pirate themes. (Luis Santana | Times)
Pirates from Gasparilla’s Mystic Crew pose for photos among the waiting crowd. (Luis Santana | Times)
Police sniper teams stationed on rooftops monitor tens of thousands of drinkers in the crowd during the Gasparilla Pirate Invasion. (Luis Santana | Times)
Ralph Brace, 63, of Nova Scotia, Canada, decorates his facial hair with skull beads before the start of the 106th Gasparilla Invasion. (Jefferee Woo | Times)
Gasparilla Pirate Eric McCarthy’s Mystic Krewe smokes a cigar while tossing beads in his drink. (Luis Santana | Times)
People line up along the parade route during the Pirate Gasparilla Parade. (Luis Santana | Times)
Jada Ross, 21, helps Haley Haverly, 21, with a corset. (Jefferee Woo | Times)
Rough Riders Pirate Jeff Fillon gives a bead to Courtney Allen during the Pirates’ Gasparilla Parade. (Luis Santana | Times)
Tampa’s Rough Riders are depicted on parade floats. (Luis Santana | Times)
Rough Rider Fernando Guillén throws beads into the crowd while smoking a cigar on his crew float. (Luis Santana | Times)
Aslan the dog is in the pirate invasion theme. (Jefferee Woo | Times)
Willie Jackson of Apollo Beach participates in the Pirate Gasparilla Parade. (Luis Santana | Times)
![The Jose Gasparilla II Pirate Ship approaches the Tampa Convention Center with members of Gasparilla's Ye Mystic Crew.](data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewBox="0 0 620 413"/%3E "The Jose Gasparilla II Pirate Ship approaches the Tampa Convention Center with members of Gasparilla's Ye Mystic Crew.")
![Jose Gasparilla II's Pirate Ship prepares to dock with members of Gasparilla's Ye Mystic Crew at the Tampa Convention Center.](data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewBox="0 0 620 929"/%3E "Jose Gasparilla II's Pirate Ship prepares to dock with members of Gasparilla's Ye Mystic Crew at the Tampa Convention Center.")
