Gasparilla 2025: Thousands attend the annual Parade of Pirates
TAMPA, Fla. - The 2025 Gasparilla Parade of Pirates brought an estimated 300,000 people to Bayshore Blvd on Saturday afternoon.
The tradition dates to 1904. When Jose Gaspar's Gasparilla flotilla arrives to steal the key to the city from the Mayor.
READ: Florida State Fair 2025: Here are the new foods to tempt your taste buds
The 4.5-mile-long parade is a celebration of that victory. About 140 floats participated along with local marching bands and performers.
This year brought people of all ages to the area, on land and on the water.

"Love the festival. Love it. We really enjoy the boats," Laurie Holweger said.
Holweger and her husband Wayne come to the festival every year from South Dakota.
"[It was] 22 below zero when we left. Now we have 65 so it's awesome," he said.
READ: Gasparilla 2025: Here’s how to recycle your beads
Mikaela Johnson is grateful for the extra security measures this year.
"You can look around in any direction and find a police officer," she said. "There's a big presence on the river too and up on the buildings. Makes us feel safe."
One group brought a cutout of a friend from California who could not make it. A friend said, "She's a pirate at heart. The wildfires have just taken it out of her. We're so glad to have her here to have some respite for the weekend."
The festivities concluded with the Gasparilla Pirate Fest, which brought live music to stages in Macdill Park and Curtis Hixon Waterfront Park.
The Source: Information for this story was gathered by FOX 13's Jennifer Kveglis.