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Gasparilla Day Parade

Jan 28, 2023
11:00 AM - 6:00 PM

Gasparilla Day Parade Weekend is Here!!!!

It's not too late to make plans.  Krewe shop beads are sold-out, however, you can get beads and bead bags at Buccaneer Beads, 3808 E Dr Martin Luther King Jr Blvd Ste C3, Tampa (On MLK 1/2 block west of 40th Street)  Call for hours:  (813) 664-8571.  Pirate Fashions in Drew Park (Near Raymond James) also has a limited selection of beads.

Limited guest spots are available. Contact Rachael Alexander at raalexan1@gmail.com for information.

You MUST have your Krewe of St. Brigit Tartan and approved costume to participate.  Refer to the website for more details on costumes and remember it’s always better to ask first! (Log in to member section then click “Profile => Docs => Important Information => “Manual_for_Members.docx” Right-Click and click download to view)

PARADE DAY:  Arrive at staging no later than 1:00pm.  We are #82 in the lineup, staging between West Lawn Ave and Fair Oaks Avenue on Bayshore Blvd.  Our float is scheduled to arrive at 11:00am.

YOU MUST GET A WRISTBAND!  Ye Mystic Krewe MANDATES each participant sign for and wear a wristband, or you may be asked to leave the parade route by parade marshals or police.  Wristbands will be distributed at bead load, Imbolc and at the Float during staging.

Weather is always unpredictable, so please check ahead and be prepared. Krewe members can wear jackets at staging, BUT ONLY COSTUME APPROPRIATE COVER-UPS WILL BE ALLOWED (Vests, Capes, corsets or over dresses may be worn as part of the costuming if weather and design are appropriate for the 15th -17th century.).

We recommend approximately 40-50 dozen beads (depends if you are a “heavy” or “light” thrower!

Parade Rules:

  • NO beads or give aways may be distributed before Bay to Bay and Bayshore. 
  • DO NOT PICK UP BEADS FROM THE STREET!  This is a very serious safety issue.  DO NOT STOP TO PICK UP ANYTHING FROM THE STREET.
  • This is the ONLY wet-zoned parade, therefore alcohol is permitted throughout the staging area and parade route. Open containers are NOT ALLOWED once you exit the parade route.
  • NO Glass permitted.
  • Please throw beads with underhand toss
  • You MUST obey any and all instructions from our safety officers. There will be 1 officer in a lime green vest and 6 monitors in orange vests.
  • Not rules – Just a bit of advice:
    • Be careful when walking along the barricades. Many overzealous parade goers will grab at beads around your neck.
    • Do not wear jewelry of value – it’s easy for things to slip off or break and get lost in the revelry!

 

Disbanding:  Music and bead-throwing must STOP at the turn onto Cass Street.  Our float is guided by Parade Marshalls and Tampa Police Department. We MUST follow their direction and DO NOT have a say in where we stop for disbanding.  If you are staying downtown there is a pedestrian exit from the parade route at Cass Street. We recommend you exit the float around Curtis Hixon Park so that you can leave the parade route safely in downtown. Otherwise, you will be asked to stay on the float until it is officially stopped in the disbanding area.  PLEASE DO ALL YOU CAN TOO SAFELY AND QUICKLY EXIT THE FLOAT!

IN CASE OF EMERGENCY – Notify one of our Vested Safety Officers / Monitors.  If necessary, the floats will pull to the side and our entire parade unit will stop.  STAY WITH OUR FLOAT.  If the issue is only within our Krewe, we will stay there until the issue is resolved.  If there is a larger issue (ie: storm warning that cancels the parade) We will follow Parade Marshalls and Police instructions.

Transportation:  There is no official krewe transportation provided.  Options include:

    • Contact Susan Welsh (drwelshdc@aol.com) to reserve a $15 spot on a bus departing the downtown Hilton at 10am (loading starts ~9:30am.) Cocktails and fun are included!
    • Park downtown and use a ride-share option to get to W. Lawn Ave & Bayshore Blvd.
    • Limited street / lot parking around the staging area is available to park at staging and then get a ride back to your car after the parade.

 

NOTE: Downtown street closures start as early as 10am.  You may not be allowed to exit certain garages (i.e. Poe garage) and there is HEAVY traffic downtown. Refer to https://www.tampa.gov/special-events-coordination/gasparilla-parades-2023-information for more information and pack your patience! 

Food & Drink will be provided for this parade.  The bar will be open during staging and will close when we start rolling.  Drink options include:

    • Basic Sodas (Coke, Diet Coke, Sprite, Ginger Ale, Diet Ginger Ale and Water)
    • Basic Mixers (i.e. cranberry, pineapple and orange juices, Bloody Mary & Margarita mixes)
    • Vodka, Coconut Rum, Tequila, Gin, Jameson, Spiced Rum
    • Yuengling, Guinness, and Miller Lite

 

FLOAT CLEAN UP: Sunday, January 29th at 11am until 2pm. You enjoy using our AMAZING float, so please help us take care of it!  The more hands we have, the faster it goes!  So, even if you have never helped before, we could use you!!!  5116 Shadowlawn Avenue, Tampa, FL (1 block South of Hillsborough Blvd off of 56th Street across from Net Park)