Guide to 2018 Gasparilla Invasion
TAMPA (FOX 13) - With Jose Gaspar and his ship of pirates entering the waters of Hillsborough Bay on Saturday, Tampa will become a maze to maneuver, especially since it falls on the same day as the NHL All-Stars, held at Amalie Arena and shows at the Straz Center.
The Gasparilla Invasion will cause heavy traffic in downtown and south Tampa as city officials anticipate 500,000 people to batten down the hatches for the annual parade.
First word of advice, be patient and leave your home early if you plan to head to any of the downtown Tampa events.
By 11:30 a.m., Jose Gasparilla will begin its embark at the south end of Hillsborough Bay followed with flood of boats in its wake, creating the Gasparilla Flotilla. Alll will travel north across the bay and into Seddom Channel, located between Davis Island and Harbour Island.
At 1 p.m., Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn will surrender the Key to the City of Tampa into the hands of the Captain of Ye Mystic Krewe of Gasparilla. The Parade of Pirates begins down Bayshore Boulevard from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. from Bay to Bay Boulevard north into downtown Tampa, ending at Ashley Drive.
Road Closures
Sunday, January 14 - Thursday, February 1, 2018
Median Closures at DeSoto Ave, Nance Ave, Albany Ave & Gunby Ave at Bayshore Blvd
Friday, January 26, 2018 @ 10:00 PM
Bayshore Blvd from Gandy Blvd to Platt St
Bay to Bay from Bayshore Blvd to Ysabella St
Davis Islands Bridge Off Ramp onto NB Bayshore Dr
Saturday, January 27, 2018 @ 3:00 AM
Bayshore Blvd from Brorein St to Platt St
Platt St/Channelside Dr from Plant Ave to Franklin St
Saturday, January 27, 2018 @ 5:30 AM
Crosstown- EB Willow Ave Off Ramp (Exit 4)
Willow Ave from Platt St to Swann Ave (SB lanes closed only, 1-way NB)
Saturday, January 27, 2018 @ 7:00 AM
Ashley Dr from Brorein St to Jackson St
Brorein St from Florida Ave to Parker St
Franklin St from Channelside Dr to Harbour Island Bridge
Old Water St from Florida Ave to Franklin St
Washington St from Ashley Dr to Tampa St
Whiting St from Ashley Dr to Tampa St
Whiting St from Florida Ave to Franklin St (WB)
Saturday, January 27, 2018 @ 9:00 AM
Kennedy from Hyde Park Ave to Ashley Dr (EB)
Ashley Dr from Cass St to Jackson St
Jackson St from Ashley Dr to Tampa St
Kennedy Blvd from Florida Ave to Plant Ave (WB)
Madison St from Ashley Dr to Tampa St
Madison St from Florida Ave to Tampa St (WB)
Twiggs St from Florida Ave to Tampa St (WB)
Zack St from Ashley Dr to Tampa St
Zack St from Florida Ave to Tampa St (WB)
Polk St from Ashley Dr to Tampa St
Polk St from Florida Ave to Tampa St (WB)
Tyler St from Florida Ave to Tampa St (WB)
Saturday, January 27, 2018 @ 11:00 AM
Cass St from Willow Ave to N Blvd
North A St from Willow Ave to Newport Ave
North B St from Willow Ave to Newport Ave
Fig St from Willow Ave to Gilchrist Ave
Carmen St from Willow Ave to Delaware Ave
Newport Ave from Cass St to North A St
Gilchrist Ave from Cass St to Fig St
Saturday, January 27, 2018 @ 1:30 PM
Cass St from N Blvd to Tampa St
Tyler St from Tampa St to Cass St
Saturday, January 27, 2018 @ 3:00 PM
Bay-to-Bay Blvd from MacDill Ave to Ysabella Ave (EB)
Swann Ave from MacDill Ave to Armenia Ave (EB lanes closed only, 1-way WB)
Platt St at Howard Ave (EB)
Platt St at S Blvd (EB)
Willow Ave from Kennedy Blvd to Cleveland St
Willow Ave from Cleveland St to Platt St (SB)
South Blvd from Kennedy Blvd to Cleveland St
South Blvd from Cleveland St to Platt St (SB)
Whiting St from Tampa St to Franklin St
Saturday, January 27, 2018 @ 4:30 PM
Kennedy Blvd at Himes Ave (EB)
Kennedy Blvd at MacDill Ave (EB)
Kennedy Blvd at Howard Ave (EB)
Kennedy Blvd at Willow Ave (EB)
Kennedy Blvd at Blvd (EB)
Parking
South Tampa Neighborhood Parking and Circulation Plans
“No Parking” signs have been installed in neighborhoods west of Bayshore Boulevard and will be in effect beginning on Friday, January 26 through Saturday, January 27. Any vehicle parked on the streets in those affected neighborhoods will be cited and towed at the owner’s expense.
Downtown Tampa Parking Information
Ft Brooke Garage: $10 flat rate and will open at 7 a.m.
Jackson Street Parking Lot: Hourly rate of $1.60 per hour, with a $9.50 daily maximum and will open at 7 a.m.
Poe Garage: At 9:30 a.m. at a rate of $4 per vehicle entry. Due to the parade route, this garage will be closed from 1:00 p.m. until 6:00 p.m. Customers will not be able to enter or exit this garage until after 6:00 p.m. For those attending the Straz 8 p.m. show, Poe Garage will reopen at 6:30 p.m. and there will be a $6 flat rate paid on entry.
Royal Regional Lot: $10 flat rate and will open at 7 a.m.
Tampa Convention Center Garage: $10 flat rate and will open at 7 a.m.
Twiggs Street Garage: hourly rates of $1.20/hr, with a $7 daily maximum and will open at 7 a.m.
All numbered spaces on Kennedy Blvd. and south of Kennedy Blvd. are enforced up until midnight at the standard hourly rate.
For access to the Amalie Arena in the morning and the evening, consider using the following garages and lots:
The Selmon Expressway Lots: $15 flat rate for the circus
South Regional Garage: $12 flat rate and will be open from 7 a.m. - 10:30 a.m. for parade & circus parking. After 10:30 a.m. parking will be restricted to Arena Reserved Parking Passes for the remainder of the day.
For access to downtown and south Tampa from historic Ybor City, consider using the following garages and utilizing HART services:
Centro Ybor and Palm Avenue Garages - will open at 7 a.m at the standard hourly rate. HART park and ride available from both locations.
HART will be offering extra streetcar, bus, and trolley services. For more information about HART service during this special event, please call (813) 254-4278 or visit www.goHART.org.
Getting to the Straz Center:
Drivers attending the 1 p.m. and 8 p.m. shows of Cabaret at the Straz Center are encouraged to take one of the following routes:
From South Tampa
- Dale Mabry NB to I-275 NB
- I-275 NB to Exit 44 Ashley Dr.
- Continue on Ashley Dr. to Tyler St
- Right on Tyler St to available parking
From Brandon
- I-4 WB to Downtown Exit 45A
- Follow Downtown West sign to Doyle Carlton Dr.
- Left on Doyle Carlton Dr. through Laurel St to available parking
From St. Pete/Clearwater
- I-275 NB to Exit 44 Ashley Dr.
- Continue on Ashley Dr. to Tyler St
- Right on Tyler St to available parking
From North Tampa
- South on Tampa St to Laurel St
- Right on Laurel St to Doyle Carlton Dr.
- Left on Doyle Carlton Dr. to available parking.
OR
- I-1275 SB to Downtown Exit 45A
- Follow Downtown West sign to Doyle Carlton Dr.
- Left on Doyle Carlton Dr. through Laurel St to available parking
Maps of the parade route and detours are available at tampagov.net/Gasparilla, or text "Gasparilla" to 888-777 to receive text alerts.
Using Uber or Lyft
For Uber riders, those located in the shaded areas can request a ride by heading outside the perimeter. Suggested directions based on location are listed below. The Uber app will also display a notification from 9 a.m. to 11 p.m. instructing riders where to walk to request a ride based on their location.
Downtown: Walk east toward North Florida Avenue. Once there, you will be able to request a ride.
Harbor Island: Walk east of Harbor Island Boulevard and south of Knights Run Ave, then tap Request.
Hyde Park North: Head north toward the University of Tampa. After you've reached Cleveland Avenue, you'll be able to request.
Hyde Park Center: Head north of Swann Avenue and east of South Boulevard, and from there, request a ride.
If attending the NHL All-Star Skills Competition, riders can be picked up and dropped off in Uber's pickup and drop-off zone along Channelside Drive, between Florida Avenue and Morgan Street.
For Lyft riders, Captain Morgan is giving away up to $20,000 worth of Lyft ride discounts over the weekend. Gasparilla attendees 21 and older can enter promo code 'LIKEACAPTAIN' in the Lyft app, to redeem for one ride from 12:00 a.m. on Saturday the 27th through 12:00 p.m. on Sunday the 28th. Supplies are limited, and the first 1,000 users to enter the code will receive a $20.00 ride discount.
The voucher is only eligible for rides taken to or from 5 miles of Tampa proper.
The NHL All-Star Skills Competition will begin at 7 p.m. Saturday at Amalie Arena on Channelside Drive.