Gasparilla 2025: The famous floats that make up Tampa’s Parade of Pirates
TAMPA, Fla. - Tampa's time-honored tradition of the Gasparilla Parade of Pirates brings hundreds of thousands to the Tampa Bay area. It is the third-largest parade in the nation with nearly 150 participating floats.
Just days away from the Gasparilla Pirate Invasion, FOX 13 went behind-the-scenes to a float barn storage facility to see more than a dozen of the well-known floats hosted by Ye Mystic Krewe Gasparilla.
Big picture view:
Many floats mimicked the famous Jose Gasparilla pirate ship, decorated with skulls, pirate hats, parrots and cannons – some of which will fire off rounds on the parade route.
READ: Gasparilla 2025: Bicycle safety patrols ready to roll into action
Locals will also recognize the Hard Rock Casino float with its iconic guitar and stage fit for a band – and the opening treasure chest. Many vessels also had nods to Florida, with pirate pelicans and flamingos, and to Tampa’s history, showing the Captains of Gasparilla’s passed.

What they're saying:
The teams at YMKG work all year to make this parade happen, and they said each year the event gets bigger.
"The biggest change is the sheer scope, how much bigger the parade has gotten over the last years," said Dillon Stefany, the vice president of events and production with EventFest. "The parade route has changed to accommodate how many people, and the magnitude and scale of how this thing has grown."
Ten thousand people participate in the actual parade, riding floats and tossing beads, with 250,000 expected attendees this year.
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