PIRATES AND PARADES
The connection between Tampa and pirates is largely rooted in folklore and marketing rather than historical accuracy. The legend of José Gaspar, a mythical Spanish pirate who supposedly terrorized the west coast of Florida in the late 18th and early 19th centuries, serves as the foundation for Tampa's pirate-themed celebrations. While there were real pirates in the Gulf of Mexico during the Golden Age of Piracy, such as Diego "El Mulato" Martin and Robert Seales, the story of Gaspar is more fiction than fact.
The Gasparilla Pirate Festival, established in 1904, was created to promote Tampa's May Day celebration and has since evolved into a major annual event. The festival features a mock pirate invasion led by Ye Mystic Krewe of Gasparilla, a local club that portrays Gaspar and his crew. This playful tradition has become a significant part of Tampa's cultural identity, attracting hundreds of thousands of attendees each year.
Gasparilla Invasion, Tampa, Florida, A
Gasparilla Invasion, Tampa, Florida, B
Women Dressed as Pirates, A
Women Dressed as Pirates, B
Women Dressed As Pirates, C
Women Dressed As Pirates, D
Columbia Restaurant Parade Float, A
Columbia Restaurant Parade Float, C
Parade Float for Columbia Restaurant
Jose Gasparilla Pirate Ship, Tampa, Florida
Jose Gasparilla Pirate Ship in Front of Curtis Hixon Hall, Tampa, Florida
Figurehead on Jose Gaspar Ship, Tampa, Florida, A