After the beads are thrown, the canons are fired and the pirates parade through the streets, Tampa Bay’s celebrated Gasparilla weekend leaves behind quite the mess.
A Brief History
If you live in the Tampa Bay area, you know Gasparilla is practically a staple holiday in the community. The event traces back to the late 18th and early 19th century when a real-life pirate, Jose Gaspar, plundered the cities of West Coast Florida until approximately 1821. From the thieving Jose Gaspar, the name “Gasparilla” was born.
Groups known as “Gasparilla Krewes” come together each year to put on a mock invasion and parade while the community parties. What started as a band of scurvy pirates looting Tampa Bay turned into an annual pirate invasion fun for the whole family! But we want you to know about a singularly different 'crew', what they do, and how you can help!
Bayshore Boulevard
The Post-Party Clean Up Event
With great Gasparilla fun, comes great Gasparilla mess, however. Every year as the “Gasparilla Krewes” sail away from the shores of Tampa Bay, they leave behind mountains of beads and partygoer mess.
A local group, Keep Tampa Bay Beautiful, promotes environmental stewardship among our community, engaging locals to clean up after large events like Gasparilla. This team of volunteers is hosting a cleanup effort the day after Gasparilla and they want YOU to join their crew!
On Sunday, January 29, Keep Tampa Bay Beautiful will gather on Bayshore Blvd, making post-parade Tampa dazzle even more than a treasure chest.
After Gasparilla Clean-up Organized by Keep Tampa Bay Beautiful
Partying on Gasparilla is a bonding event for members of the Tampa Bay area. We encourage you to keep that community spirit going by swabbing the deck, or in this case, picking up litter from the streets in and around Bayshore Boulevard!
Meeting Location:
2629 Bayshore Blvd
Tampa, FL 33629
Thank you for helping keep our city clean!
