Since 1904, every year in January, countless Floridians dress in pirate costumes and apparel and gather in Tampa to celebrate the Gasparilla parades. Each year there are two parades, one for children and one targeted for adults. The Children’s Gasparilla parade occurs on January 20th, and the second one takes place on January 27th . Floridians also celebrate the Sant’Yago Knight Parade around this time of year. So many Floridians celebrate these festivals each year, but how many of them actually know of the local tradition’s origins.
According to the Tampa legend, in around 1780 pirates landed in Florida, led by José Gaspar, known more commonly as Gasparilla. The legend tells the story of how they had captured the Tampa area, and until 1821 had claimed the area as their own “pirate kingdom.” Allegedly, José was captured by the U.S. Navy and rather than admitting defeat he covered himself in chains and threw himself overboard, yelling “Gasparilla dies by his own hand, not the enemy’s!”
It might seem odd that Tampa chooses to celebrate a time in which they were invaded by pirates, however it’s all thanks to a man named George Hardee. In 1904, preparations for the May Day celebration were being made when Hardee suggested the theme be pirates, which soon evolved into the theme being specifically the crew of Gasparilla. The “crew” went around the Tampa area, getting citizens excited for the parades and it was a hit to say the least.
The Sant’Yago Knight Parade is meant to celebrate Tampa’s Latin heritage and is typically celebrated in Ybor City. The parade still consists of a pirate theme; however, it starts later in the evening at 7pm on February 10th, 2024.
Over a hundred years later, people still get dressed up in pirate attire and celebrate the festivities by watching the parades and enjoying time with their friends. If you’re new to Tampa, or just haven’t experienced it before, Gasparilla is a great event to attend.
