Guide to the 2019 Gasparilla Invasion

TAMPA, Fla. (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.

The Gasparilla Invasion will cause heavy traffic in downtown and south Tampa as city officials anticipate 500,000 people to join the swashbucklers for the annual parade.  

Be patient and leave 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 by boats in its wake, creating the Gasparilla Flotilla. All will travel north across the bay and into Seddon 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 to the Captain of Ye Mystic Krewe of Gasparilla. The Parade of Pirates runs down Bayshore Boulevard from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m., from Bay to Bay Boulevard north into downtown Tampa, ending at Ashley Drive. 

LINK: For more information, visit www.gasparillapiratefest.com/main-festival

Road Closures

Monday, January 14 – Thursday, January 31, 2019
Close Bayshore Blvd. crossovers at DeSoto Ave., Nance Ave., Albany Ave. and Gunby Ave.

Friday, January 25, 2019 @ 10 p.m.
Bayshore Blvd. from Gandy Blvd. to Platt St.
Bay to Bay Blvd. from Bayshore Blvd.to Ysabella Ave.
Davis Islands Bridge Off Ramp onto NB Bayshore Blvd.

Saturday, January 26, 2019 @ 3 a.m.
Bayshore Blvd. from Brorein St. to Platt St.
Platt St. / Channelside Dr. from Plant Ave. to Franklin St.
Ashley Dr. from Platt St. / Channelside Dr. to Brorein St.

Saturday, January 26, 2019 @ 5:30 a.m.
Selmon Expressway - EB Willow Ave. Off Ramp (Exit 4)
Willow Ave. from Platt St. to Swann Ave. (SB lanes closed only, 1-way NB)

Saturday, January 26, 2019 @ 7 a.m.
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 lanes closed, 1-way EB)
Selmon Expressway EB Morgan off ramp (6B)

Saturday, January 26, 2019 @ 9 a.m.
Ashley Dr. from Brorein St. to Cass St.
Kennedy Blvd. from Hyde Park Ave. to Ashley Dr. (EB)
Jackson St. from Ashley Dr. to Tampa St.
Kennedy Blvd. from Florida Ave. to Plant Ave. (WB)
Madison St. from Ashley Dr. to Florida Ave.
Twiggs St. from Ashley Dr. to Florida Ave. 
Zack St. from Ashley Dr. to Florida Ave.
Polk St. from Ashley Dr. to Florida Ave.
Cass St. (EB) from Willow Ave to Doyle Carlton Dr. / Gasparilla Plaza (Poe Garage Exit)

Saturday, January 26, 2019 @ 11 a.m.
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.
Delaware Ave. from Cass St. to Fig St.

Saturday, January 26, 2019 @ 1 p.m.
Cass St. from Doyle Carlton Dr.  / Gasparilla Plaza to Tampa St.
Tyler St. from Ashley Dr. to Tampa St.
Ashley Dr. from Tampa Extension to Cass St.

Saturday, January 26, 2019 @ 3 p.m.
Bay-to-Bay Blvd. from MacDill Ave. to Ysabella Ave. (EB lanes closed only, 1-way WB)
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 26, 2019 @ 5 p.m.
Kennedy Blvd. at Himes Ave.(EB)
Kennedy Blvd. at MacDill Ave. (EB)

Saturday, January 26, 2019 @ 6:30 p.m.
Kennedy Blvd. at Howard Ave. (EB)
Kennedy Blvd. at Willow Ave. (EB)
Kennedy Blvd. at N. Blvd. (EB)

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City of Tampa Public Parking Options

Downtown Tampa

Tampa Convention Center Garage (Tampa St. & Brorein St.), will open at 7 a.m. at a rate of $10 per vehicle entry.

Ft. Brooke Garage (Whiting St., between Franklin St. & Florida Ave.) will open at 7 a.m. at a rate of $10 per vehicle entry. 

Poe Garage (Ashley St., south of Cass St.) will open at 7 a.m. at a rate of $10 per vehicle entry. Due to the parade route, this garage will close from 1 p.m. until 6 p.m. Customers will not be able to enter or exit this garage until after 6 p.m. For those attending the 8:30 p.m. show at the Straz Center, Poe Garage will reopen at 6:30 p.m. and there will be a $10.00 flat rate upon entry.

Twiggs St. Garage (Twiggs St., west of Nebraska Ave.) will open at 7 a.m. at normal hourly rates of $1.20/hr., with a $7 daily maximum.  This will be an automated facility with a pay station collecting payment upon exit.

Royal Regional Lot (Tampa St. & Fortune St.) will open at 7 a.m. at a rate of $10 per vehicle.

Parking Meters south of Kennedy Blvd. and on Kennedy Blvd. will be enforced from 8 a.m. until midnight.

Ybor City (Park and Ride Streetcar)

Centro Ybor Garage (5th Ave. and 15th St.) will open at 6 a.m. at the standard hourly rate with a $9.00 maximum.

Palm Ave Garage (13th St. and 9th Ave.) will open at 6 a.m. at the standard hourly rate with a $9.00 maximum.

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.

Maps of the parade route and detours are available at tampagov.net/Gasparilla, or text "Gasparilla" to 888-777 to receive text alerts.

Using rideshares

Lyft pickup and drop-off locations:
1. Metered parking spaces on: Twiggs St. from N Ashley Dr. to N Franklin St.
2. Metered parking spaces on: E Tyler St. from N Ashley Dr. to N Florida Ave.
3. Metered parking spaces on: E Cass St. from N Ashley Dr. to N Florida Ave.

What's at each location?
- Lyft representative to assist with onsite operations and rider/driver needs
- Signage to help direct passengers/drivers to one location so they could easily meet each
other

Lyft Lounges:
- Location 1: 601 Bayshore Blvd. Tampa, FL 33606
- Location 2: 702 N Ashley Dr. Tampa, FL 33602

What's at each location?
- Amenities such as lounge-style seating and a place for attendees to charge their phones
- Lyft ambassadors onsite to help riders with any question on the app or in regards to
pickup/drop-off

Uber pickup and drop-off locations:
%INLINE%Riders in the shaded areas of the map will not be able to request a ride. To hail an Uber, the company says riders should head outside of the perimeter in order to request a pickup.

- Downtown: Walk east of North Florida Avenue
- Harbor Island: Walk east of Harbor Island Blvd and south of Knights Run Avenue
- Hyde Park North: Walk north of Cleveland Avenue
- Hyde Park Center: Head north of Swann Avenue and east of South Boulevard