TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — The Gasparilla season kicks off with the children’s parade on Saturday.
The floats are finished, filled with beads and ready to set sail down Bayshore Boulevard.
“It’s amazing to have festivities the weekend before, it gives the younger swashbucklers a way to participate in the festivities,” said L.B. Sierra with Ye Mistic Krewe of Gasparilla.
The Children’s Gasparilla is filled with family-friendly festivities.
- Bike Rodeo: Noon – 2 p.m.
- Air Invasion: 2 p.m. – 4 p.m.
- Preschoolers Stroll: 2 p.m. – 3 p.m.
- Children’s Gasparilla Parade: 4 p.m. – 6:15 p.m.
- ‘Piratechnics’ Finale: 6:15 p.m. – 7 p.m.
More than 125 krewes, school groups and local organizations will march the 1.5-mile route along Bayshore Boulevard from Bay to Bay Boulevard to Edison Avenue.
“I remember as a small pirate with my father only doing about five to 10 blocks in downtown Tampa for the children’s parade. Now, it’s over a mile long. We have over 100,000 attendees,” Sierra said. “This year we have over 600 toddlers as part of the preschoolers’ stroll for the first time ever. It’s just really, really cool to see how big it’s grown.”
A portion of Bayshore Boulevard and some of the surrounding streets will be closed during Saturday’s event. To accommodate parking downtown, a trolley will be running throughout the day. “We do have the Jolley Roger Trolley that will pick up at Bayshore and Platt by the Publix. It will be running back and forth until 8:30 that night, so, it will go past the event times,” Sierra said.
WWE Superstars Bianca Belair and Montez Ford will lead the parade. The event will also honor “Community Hero”‘” Pete Alonso. The New York Mets first baseman, a Tampa native, is recognized for hitting the longest home run in College World Series history.
