TAMPA, Fla. — “Shiver me timbers” may take on a whole new meaning this Gasparilla, as temperatures are expected to drop while the winds pick up Saturday, the day of the annual Pirate Fest celebration. 

“Cold and windy for Gasparilla this year, unfortunately,” said Spectrum News meteorologist Brian McClure. “I don’t think it’s going to be a problem on land. The problem’s going to be a lot of people like to take their boats out, right? That’s the biggest issue.”

What You Need To Know

This weekend’s Gasparilla celebrations are expected to include temperatures that dip into the 40s and wind gusts of up to 40 mph

South Tampa Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Kelly Flannery said Gasparilla is important for local businesses, with 300,000 visitors expected and a projected economic impact of $20 million

Flannery said she’s not expecting people to cancel hotel and restaurant reservations due to the weather

The COO of Jackson’s Bistro along the flotilla route said the restaurant is prepared for cooler temps, with heaters and screens to protect people from wind and rain on the patio

McClure said on land, winds are expected to get up to 20-30 mph, with gusts up to 40 mph. Temperatures are expected to dip into the 40s.

“I remember a lot of cold Gasparillas. I remember lots of wet Gasparillas. I remember some Gasparillas where we even had some severe weather, but I don’t remember a Gasparilla where it was windy and cold combined,” McClure said. “I think that’s going to be the biggest problem is the wind is just going to be so strong.”

According to Kelly Flannery, president and CEO of the South Tampa Chamber of Commerce, 300,000 people are expected to come out for the weekend’s flotilla and parade.

“Gasparilla’s a fantastic weekend,” Flannery said. “Our hotels are going to be full. Our restaurants and bars are full.”

That includes Jackson’s Bistro, which is on the flotilla route and offers a front row seat to watch the boats go by.

“It’s just shoulder-to-shoulder, wall-to-wall, bow-to-bow out there on the water, and everybody’s having a good time,” said James Hamilton, the restaurant’s chief operating officer.

Hamilton said Jackson’s business jumps by about 300% during Gasparilla compared to a normal weekend.

“It’s literally an invasion,” Hamilton said. “It’s the field of dreams. If you build a restaurant here, they’re coming on Gasparilla.”

He said the restaurant is ready for the chilly weather.

“I wasn’t worried about it. We just spent millions of dollars renovating this patio, putting in these heaters, dropping down these canopies to keep the wind off of everybody,” Hamilton said. “We had the warmest New Year’s Eve we’ve ever had while everybody else was cold. So, Gasparilla will be the same.”

Flannery said she doesn’t expect visitors to cancel planned reservations at hotels and restaurants because of the weather. She said the festival usually brings a $20 million economic impact with it.

“I think that the cold weather is going to add another element to this weekend’s events, but I don’t think it’s going to keep people away,” she said. “I think people have been looking forward to this weekend all year. People travel from all over the state or all over the southeast part of the country to attend this event.”

Hamilton also said he expects Jackson’s to be as busy as usual with crowds of Gasparilla faithful.

“They’re pretty dedicated,” he said. “The costumes they wear are made for the summer no matter what the weather is, and they don’t look like they’re cold. They’re really dedicated.”

McClure said he’s recommending people don’t take their personal boats out on Saturday. He said winds could get up to 35-40 knots on the water, and a gale warning will likely be posted.