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If you happen to visit Tampa Bay in late January, watch for the Gasparilla Pirate Festival. It's been held every year since 1955 in Tampa and it's a lot of fun for everyone. It's one of those rare events that has something exciting for everyone - young or old. It's hosted by Ye Mystic Krewe of Gasparilla and the City of Tampa. It celebrates the legend of José Gaspar (aka Gasparilla) - a  Spanish pirate captain who operated in southwest Florida. The theme of the festival is his invasion of Tampa which begins when the Krewe (made up of current residents of the city) arrives on a 165' long pirate ship, the Jose Gaspar, in Tampa Bay and land near downtown Tampa. TheMayor of Tampa then lends the key of the city to the pirate captain and a parade ensues down Bayshore Blvd, one of Tampa's major streets. The krewes throw beads, coins and gasparillo necklaces while shooting blank pistols from floats during the parade to all the people standing and sitting on the shoreline. The average attendance for the event is over 400,000 people. This many people at one event is always an exciting time.

Krewe memberships for the festival are highly sought after in many social circles in Tampa, and many celebrate ethnic and cultural themes. The Ye Mystic Krewe of Gasparilla, the organization which founded and sponsors the parade, is the oldest krewe in Tampa, and among its most prestigious. Members of the many krewes that now participate spend a great deal of money on beads and decorated floats. It truly is a spectacular event.  The festival is attended by people from all over the Tampa Bay Area including St. Petersburg, FL just west, across the bay.

Ye Mystic Krewe of Gasparilla sponsors a family-oriented children's parade and "Piratechnic Extravaganza," with fireworks launched a week before the invasion over Tampa Bay. The pyrotechnics are always spectacular and include aerobatics and other creative fireworks displays.

For adults, there is another event called the Sant'Yago Knight Parade held a few weeks after the invasion. in Ybor City. It's held in the evening and runs into the early morning. Krewes have social events and parties throughout the year for members and hold philanthropic events for favored causes. The parade is broadcast every year on WFLA-TV.  It's a wonderful event to attend even though the theme of the festival has become more notorious with the increased 'real' piracy being conducted on the seas around the world.  Come for the fun - not the history.

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