{"id":112274,"date":"2026-01-09T20:47:21","date_gmt":"2026-01-09T20:47:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/112274\/"},"modified":"2026-01-09T20:47:21","modified_gmt":"2026-01-09T20:47:21","slug":"guide-to-tampas-childrens-gasparilla-2026-parade-events","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/112274\/","title":{"rendered":"Guide to Tampa’s Children’s Gasparilla 2026 parade, events"},"content":{"rendered":"

TAMPA, Fla. \u2014 Children’s Gasparilla<\/a> is set to make its return to Tampa on Jan. 24.<\/p>\n

Tampa Bay’s young pirates can participate in the festivities from noon to 7:30 p.m.<\/p>\n

The popular children’s event will be packed with pirate-themed activities including the Bicycle & Pedestrian Safety Rodeo, Gasparilla Air Invasion, Preschooler’s Stroll for children five and under (pre-registration is required<\/a>), Children’s Parade, Nighttime Gasparilla Air Invasion, and the Piratechnic Fireworks Extravaganza to end the evening.<\/p>\n

Children’s Gasparilla is free to attend, but reserved seating is available for purchase. View additional details about ticket options for Children’s Gasparilla.<\/a><\/p>\n

What You Need To Know<\/p>\n

View the event guide to\u00a0Children’s Gasparilla below\u00a0<\/p>\n

Follow Spectrum Bay News 9 for coverage and download our app<\/a> to track the weather before heading out<\/p>\n

\u23f0 Schedule of Events \u23f0\n<\/p>\n

(Details and times are\u00a0subject to change)<\/p>\n

12 p.m. – 2 p.m.: Bicycle and Pedestrian Safety Rodeo – Bayshore Boulevard between Rome Avenue and Dakota Avenue (free to participate, no registration required)
\n12 p.m. – 4 p.m.: Gasparilla Air Invasion
\n2 p.m. – 3 p.m.: Gasparilla Preschooler’s Stroll (pre-registration required)
\n4 p.m. – 6:15 p.m.: Children’s Gasparilla Parade
\n6:15 p.m. – 7 p.m.: Nighttime Gasparilla Air Invasion
\n7 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.: \u201cPiratechnic Finale\u201d Fireworks Show<\/p>\n

\ud83d\uddfa\ufe0f Parade Route \ud83d\uddfa\ufe0f\n<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

\ud83d\ude97 Parking \ud83d\ude97\n<\/p>\n

Parking will be available in various garages and lots throughout downtown Tampa, according to officials with Gasparilla. The garages, which are city run, will have a special event parking rate paid upon entry.<\/p>\n

Local organizations and companies will offer parking on their properties as well, and it is advised to check with local businesses to buy a parking pass for their private lots in advance.<\/p>\n

The city of Tampa has an interactive parking map that displays neighborhood parking for Children’s Gasparilla<\/a>. According to the city, “No Parking”\u00a0and “Parking By Permit Only”\u00a0signs will be posted and enforced Friday and Saturday beginning Jan. 23 at\u00a012:01 a.m. – Jan. 24, and\u00a0at this time, illegally parked vehicles may be ticketed and\/or towed.<\/p>\n

A free trolley, the Jolly Roger Trolley, will run on a continuous loop\u00a0throughout the day before and after the parade, from 11:30 a.m. – 8:30 p.m.,\u00a0picking up and dropping off at the intersections of Platt Street and Bayshore Boulevard (near Publix) and Bay-to-Bay and Bayshore Boulevard.<\/p>\n

\u26d4 Road Closures \u26d4\n<\/p>\n

Friday, Jan. 16 – Sunday, Feb. 1:<\/p>\n

Close Bayshore Blvd. Crossovers at DeSoto Ave., Nance Ave., Albany Ave., and Gunby Ave.<\/p>\n

Friday, Jan. 23\u00a0at \u00a010 p.m.:<\/p>\n

Close Bayshore Blvd. Northbound\/Southbound from Gandy Blvd. to Platt St.\/Channelside Dr.
\nClose Davis Islands Bridge off-ramp onto Northbound Bayshore Blvd.\u00a0
\nClose Bay-to-Bay Blvd. from Ysabella Ave. to Bayshore Blvd.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Saturday, Jan. 24\u00a0at 9 a.m.:<\/p>\n

Close Bay-to-Bay Blvd. from MacDill Ave. to Bayshore Blvd.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u267f Accessibility \u267f\n<\/p>\n

There is limited accessible parking available for the children’s parade on a first-come, first-served basis at\u00a0Howard Avenue and Bayshore Boulevard. The viewing area will be located at Bayshore Boulevard and Howard Avenue – Landside.<\/p>\n

Map of Parade & Trolley Routes, Road Closures & ADA Access<\/p>\n

\ud83d\udea8 Safety Tips \ud83d\udea8\n<\/p>\n

The city of Tampa has a couple of reminders for you and your families:<\/p>\n

See Something, Say Something:\u00a0The Tampa Police Department asks all attendees to remain vigilant during the parade and report any suspicious activity. There are several other ways to contact the police department:<\/p>\n

TEXT:\u00a0SAFETAMPA\u00a0and your\u00a0tip\u00a0to\u00a0847411\u00a0(TIP411) and you will receive a response.
\nPHONE:\u00a0(813) 231-6130\u00a0TPD non-emergency\u00a0
\nFor emergencies, please dial 911<\/p>\n

Have a Meeting Place:\u00a0Due to large crowds, there may be limited cell service during the event. It’s important to establish a meeting place ahead of time in case some of your crew get lost.<\/p>\n

Take a Photo of Your Child in Costume:\u00a0This will help law enforcement officers quickly identify your child by their pirate garb. If you lose your child, alert the closest officer immediately. They will be stationed along the entire route.<\/p>\n

Alcohol Consumption:\u00a0Drinking is not allowed at Children’s Gasparilla.<\/p>\n

Shared Escooters and Ebikes:\u00a0A\u00a0No-Ride Zone<\/a>\u00a0has been established for Children’s Gasparilla for shared escooters and ebikes. Personal scooters are not allowed.<\/p>\n

Prohibited Items:\u00a0According to Gasparilla officials, unless licensed, permitted and identified in writing by event staff, the following items are prohibited within the event site:**<\/p>\n

\u2022 Outside food or beverage
\u2022 No styrofoam cups or containers
\u2022 Advertising of any product or service
\u2022 Glass containers of any sort (City Ordinance)
\u2022 Coolers – Note: Small soft-sided cooler and lunch bags are permitted for childcare needs and medical needs only.
\u2022 Contests or lotteries of any kind
\u2022 Grills of any kind
\u2022 Tents of any sort
\u2022 Fence, stakes or rope (used by spectators to reserve space for \u2022 parade viewing)
\u2022 Sampling or give-away of any product or service
\u2022 Scooters
\u2022 Selling any product or service
\u2022 Solicitation or database development of any kind
\u2022 Vehicles of any sort
\u2022 Weapons of any sort
\u2022 Illegal drugs of any sort<\/p>\n

Gasparilla officials also provided the following information:<\/p>\n

Can you bring a pet?:\u00a0Pets (with the exception of animals assisting the handicapped) are prohibited at the Gasparilla Pirate Fest.<\/p>\n

Bicycles:\u00a0Bicycles are allowed for transportation to the event site, however within the event street closure cyclists must walk with their bikes. The event site is very crowded with pedestrians, including small children. Do not leave your bicycle unattended and do not lock to private or city property.<\/p>\n

Golf Carts:\u00a0Insurance requirements will not allow golf carts within the event site unless licensed and permitted by the EventFest office. Only golf carts used by authorized festival staff and vendors will be granted permits. Authorized event golf carts cannot and will not be used to transport unauthorized individuals.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Boat Docking:\u00a0Docking space in and around downtown Tampa for Gasparilla is extremely limited. Boaters attempting to \u201ccome ashore\u201d along the Bayshore Boulevard balustrade or any other property without a permit are strictly prohibited.<\/p>\n

Additionally, the city of Tampa is reminding people that\u00a0throwing beads and other litter in the bay is prohibited.\u00a0Beads and other non-biodegradable items are incredibly harmful to the environment and they pose serious threats to marine wildlife. The city is raising environmental awareness with their campaign, #beadfreebay<\/a>.<\/p>\n

View additional Gasparilla FAQs.<\/a><\/p>\n

\ud83d\udc68\u200d\ud83d\udc69\u200d\ud83d\udc67 Sensory Relief Zone \ud83d\udc68\u200d\ud83d\udc69\u200d\ud83d\udc67\n<\/p>\n

The city’s Autism Friendly Tampa Advisory Group, CARD-USF and Sunrise Group will offer a sensory relief zone to children and families, according to officials with\u00a0Children’s Gasparilla.\u00a0It is designed to provide a sensory break for those who may become overwhelmed with crowds, sights or sounds.\u00a0The tent will be at the southwest corner of Barcelona Street.<\/p>\n

\ud83d\udca1 More to Know \ud83d\udca1\n<\/p>\n

Wear sunscreen
\nStay hydrated
\nBring cash<\/p>\n

Spectrum Bay News 9 will be having coverage of the parade all day long! Be sure to check the Spectrum News app so you can track weather before making your way to the festivities.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"TAMPA, Fla. \u2014 Children’s Gasparilla is set to make its return to Tampa on Jan. 24. Tampa Bay’s…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":112275,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[10],"tags":[8565,767,5275,1011,1013,274,770,684,36011,276,1190,2200,2204,115,139,135,137,136,278,2032],"class_list":["post-112274","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-tampa","tag-anna-wronka","tag-app-community","tag-app-events","tag-app-human-interest","tag-app-latest-human-interest-stories","tag-app-top-stories","tag-community-news","tag-events","tag-gasparilla-pirate-festival","tag-hillsborough-county","tag-human-interest","tag-instagram-bn9","tag-instagram-n13","tag-news","tag-orlando","tag-tampa","tag-tampa-headlines","tag-tampa-news","tag-top-stories","tag-trending-topics"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/112274","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=112274"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/112274\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/112275"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=112274"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=112274"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=112274"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}