WATCH LIVE: 2023 Gasparilla Pirate Festival

TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — Arrrgh you ready for Gasparilla 2023? The pirates are here and they’re planning to invade Tampa! All hands on deck as we get ready to walk the plank.

This year, 100-plus floats, five marching bands, and more than 50 distinct Krewes will march the nearly 4.5-mile parade route, beginning at Bay to Bay and Bayshore and ending at Cass Street and Ashley Drive, and share their loot after stealing the key to the City of Tampa.

For new pirates looking to join in on the plunder, the Jose Gasparilla ship will arrive from the Port of Tampa Bay at noon. Following closely behind will be a fleet of hundreds of smaller vessels.

The ship will then sail up the Seddon Channel between Davis Islands and Harbour Island.

There, the Jose Gasparilla will dock at the Convention Center and the captain of Ye Mystic Krewe of Gasparilla will demand the key to the City of Tampa from Mayor Jane Castor.

The pirates will take the key and celebrate with a victory parade down Bayshore Boulevard — sharing their wealth of beads and booty along the way.

The Gasparilla parade has been a tradition in Tampa since 1904 when it was first hosted by the Ye Mystic Krewe of Gasparilla. To date, it’s considered to be the nation’s third-largest parade behind Mardi Gras in New Orleans, Louisiana, and the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York, New York.

To follow along on the action in real-time click here. For the latest stories on Gasparilla click here.

Source: WFLA

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