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Gasparilla is here! For all the art lovers out there, the 2023 Gasparilla Festival of the Arts is returning to Tampa this coming weekend. However, the retellings differ greatly in the details. PublishedJanuary 22, 2019 at 5:19 PM EST. The fast-food . [3][45][42], In 1923, author Francis Bradlee obtained a copy of the Gasparilla Inn brochure and, assuming it was factual, included Gaspar in a book he was writing about piracy in the West Indies. [46] The fair moved to much larger grounds east of Tampa in 1976 and Plant Field is long since demolished, but the basic parade route has remained the same, traveling north up Bayshore Boulevard and ending in or near downtown, approximately 4.5 miles (7.2km) in total. There are 65 different krewes, a lot of family-style krewes, mixed krewes as far as male-female, cultural I think that we have everything you could possibly imagine and if we dont, well find room for it, he said. King Daniel - Gasparilla King of the Pirates | Susan Wolf Johnson He was popular in the court, but when he spurned one lover for another, the jilted lady levied false charges against him, often said to involve the theft of the crown jewels. Gasparilla Island is a barrier island just north of the mouth of Charlotte Harbor that is almost 7 miles (11km) long and less than 1 mile (1.6km) across at its widest point. Gasparilla spans generations for their families and for others. [1], While Gaspar is a popular figure in Florida folklore, there is no evidence that he actually existed. [56] The Krewe of Venus (a women's organization formed by relatives of YMKG members) was allowed to join the parade in 1966, and the Krewe of Sant'Yago (formed by leading members of Tampa's Latin community) began holding their own Gaspar-themed parade in Ybor City in 1972, with both krewes collaborating somewhat with YMKG. Most importantly, if at the end of day, when I talk to the Tampa Police Department and the mayors office, (and they tell me) everybody got home safely, there werent significant numbers of incidents, people had a fun day and we showcased the rich, diverse culture of TampaI am just as happy as I could possibly be that we were able to pull off such an amazing event and that were able to do it year after year without significant incidents.". The History of Gasparilla - Ye Mystic Krewe of Gasparilla Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn meets with Ye Mystic Krewe of Gasparilla members in 2019 to "negotiate a peaceful surrender of the city," part of the tradition leading up to the annual Parade of Pirates. Empathizing with his friend's plight, Gaspar eventually allowed Lopez to return home. The theme and focal point of Gasparilla is a friendly "invasion" by mythical pirate Jos Gaspar and his crew, who are portrayed by members of Ye Mystic Krewe of Gasparilla (YMKG), an organization created for this purpose in 1904. [31], The Sant'Yago Illuminated Knight Parade (sometimes referred to as the "Gasparilla Night Parade") has been organized since 1972 by the Krewe of the Knights of Sant'Yago. The whole town closes up for the day and all the citizens get together, they crown a King and Queen, and then the band plays at the Tampa Yacht Club despite the blazing heat. We estimate that 9400 Little Gasparilla Is Unit E2 would rent between $3,776 / mo. Whatever his supposed origins, the legends agree that Gaspar fled to the virtually uninhabited southwestern coast of Spanish Florida in the 1780s and established his "pirate kingdom" on Gasparilla Island in Charlotte Harbor, south of Tampa Bay. However, no evidence has been found to support this claim. [11] The sails are merely decorative and the "pirate ship" has no engine, so on Gasparilla Day, it is guided through the flotilla of accompanying smaller vessels by three tugboats helmed by experienced harbor pilots. For decades, many members of YMKG walked the parade route armed with six-shooters or other handguns loaded with blanks which they frequently fired in the air. Kings & Queens. Gaspar, Jos, -- 1756-1821. Hundreds of thousands will crowd the streets to participate in another day of bead-throwing and debauchery. This week on Florida Matters, we take a deep dive into the past and present of Gasparilla. [3][2], There is also no physical evidence to support Gaspar's existence. The origin of the hand remained a mystery, though the curator of the history center opined that it might be a mummified monkey hand. [3][18][7][5], Inspired by the story of Gaspar, the city of Tampa organized a pirate-themed May Day festival in 1904. Though people dressing up in costumes and "invading" the city may seem like silly fun, the tradition has also played an important role in Tampa's high society. We interviewed our tech expert, Jaime Vazquez, to learn more about accessible smart home devices. The legend of Jose Gaspar. Tampa's most prized tradition was sparked 118 years ago and continues to be shrouded in some mystery. Lane Riverfront Park in downtown Tampa, the festival attracts over 30,000 visitors. Each of these Krewes is organized for specific charitable and community . Krewe of Venus was formed in 1966 and was the first krewe to allow women to join. Research in Spanish archives has turned up no mention of his early life, his presence in the Spanish royal court, or his career in the Spanish navy. To learn more about ChatGPT and how we can inspire students, we sat down with BestReviews book expert, Ciera Pasturel. The annual Gasparilla celebration is one of Tampa Bay's biggest social events, . Most stories agree he was an aristocratic Spanish . [8] Different versions of the story say that he was either a Spanish nobleman and advisor to King Charles III of Spain who was exiled after a romantic scandal in court, a traitorous admiral of the Spanish Royal Navy who stole a ship and fled when his treachery was revealed, or an ambitious young officer in the Spanish navy who was driven to mutiny by a tyrannically cruel captain. Also, they saw pretty early on that this could be a neat attraction and a neat tourist draw to a city that didnt really have much of a tourist industry aside from the Tampa Bay Hotel and the fact that the railroad did come here. Ye Loyal Krewe of Grace O'Malley formed in 1992 and was first all-female group. In Tampa, rare Gasparilla beads are the real treasure Unjustly facing arrest, he commandeered a ship and fled, vowing to exact revenge on his country. Lemoyne described Gmez as a "colorful" eccentric who claimed to have been a pirate in order to sell fake treasure maps to "the gullible" for a "fancy figure". [17], "The Legend of Gasparilla: Myth and History on Florida's West Coast", "Gasparilla parade's 100th edition marked by mostly behaved revelry", "Children's parade kicks off Tampa's Gasparilla celebration this weekend", "Annual Knight Parade lights up Ybor with family-friendly revelry", "Everything you need to know for Gasparilla 2019", "The True History and Swashbuckling Myth Behind the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' Namesake", The History of Gasparilla Pirate Fest - Tampa, Florida, "The pirates are coming! In 1936, YMKG commissioned Tampa Tribune editor Edwin D. Lambright to write an authorized history of the organization. Pirates with Ye Mystic Krewe of Gasparilla fill up the 168-ft. Jose Gasparilla II for the annual invasion. Description. March arts roundup: Gasparilla Festival of the Arts kicks off a busy Were not like Mardi Gras were fun, people are having a great time but its much safer and much smarter, he said. Accommodations | The Gasparilla Inn & Club Rather than surrender, Gaspar supposedly wrapped an anchor chain around his waist and leapt from the bow, dramatically shouting "Gasparilla dies by his own hand, not the enemy's!" [50][51], In 2001, the Parade of Pirates was held a week earlier than usual to coincide with Super Bowl XXXV, which was played in Tampa the next day. Planning to attend Gasparilla this year? [7][3], Other versions of the story state that Gaspar was a nobleman who achieved a high rank in the Spanish Royal Navy and became a councilor to King Charles III of Spain. When efforts were made by local leaders and activists to integrate in 1991, the Krewe of Gasparilla canceled that years parade but allowed it in 1992. In the late 1800s, Gmez lived in a shack with his wife on otherwise uninhabited Panther Key, a small spit of land near Marco Island in the Ten Thousand Islands region of Southwest Florida. [38], The theme of the Gasparilla Festival was inspired by the legend of the pirate Jos Gaspar, who supposedly operated off the west coast of Spanish Florida from the 1780s until the 1820s. Once they had the idea for Gasparilla, Louise Frances Dodge and George Hardee invited members of Tampas high society to form a secret group called Ye Mystic Krewe of Gasparilla. Gasparilla Pirate Festival - Wikipedia Against a colorful backdrop of pirates, family secrets, and intrigue, Susan Wolf Johnson's King Daniel shines as a literary lighthouse on rocky shores. Since 2005, it has been held on the last Saturday in January. [3][7] While the USS Enterprise was assigned to the West Indies Squadron tasked with suppressing piracy in the Caribbean, it is documented to have been in Cuba in December 1821, not in Charlotte Harbor, where Gaspar's last battle is said to have taken place. [39] In 2019, YMKG began an effort to legally to trademark the name Gasparilla to "protect" it for use by "appropriate community events", drawing complaints and counterclaims from others who have used the name or own the trademark for other, more narrow uses. [7], Several historians and other interested parties have attempted to find documentation of Gaspar's existence without success. Bill Before Florida Senate Would Put Local Ordinances on Hold if Challenged, Legislation would make it illegal for doctors to provide gender-affirming care to transgender youths, Florida Republicans are taking on the media. "Pirates" with Ye Mystic Krewe of Gasparilla really embrace their roles in the 1954 invasion. Ye Mystic Krewe of Gasparilla - Inspired by the Legend of Pirate Jose On Gasparilla Day, members of YMKG don pirate regalia and sail across Tampa Bay aboard the Jose Gasparilla II, a 165-foot-long (50m) "pirate ship" which is actually a steel barge converted to look like a large West Indiaman. Our beautiful one-of-a-kind Veranda Suite is located above the neo-classical entrance to The Gasparilla Inn and offers a luxurious Tempur-Pedic King sized bedroom, 1 and a half bathrooms, a spacious living room perfect for entertaining and relaxing, as well as a private wrap-around balcony facing West, a perfect spot to enjoy the setting sun . World War II froze Gasparilla from 1941-47, diverting funds to buy war bonds, and leaving 33rd king and queen, James T. Swann Jr. and Queen Ruth Binnicker, on the throne, the only royals to marry . . Here's how to map out your day! Here's where to find them", "Hundreds of volunteers with Keep Tampa Bay Beautiful clean up Gasparilla litter", "Think Gasparilla is rowdy now? The book also included advertisements for hotels and real estate firms in the Fort Myers and Charlotte Harbor area and invited readers to Make [their] conquest of Sanibel and Captiva Islands . [37], Crowd size for the Parade of Pirates is typically about 300,000, making it the third largest parade in the United States, and an estimated 1,000,000 people attend at least one Gasparilla event in a given year. Kings & Queens - Ye Mystic Krewe of Gasparilla [47], The main Gasparilla parade was held in conjunction with various other events in its early years, so its timing varied, and it sometimes was not held at all. Chapman has taken part in the festivities since he was young.