Gasparilla Parades
Gasparilla is a yearly celebration started in 1904
and based on an invasion of the City of Tampa by the fictional pirate Jose
Gaspar. The early invasions and parades were carried out by prominent
local businessmen. That same group, Ye Mystic Krewe of Gasparilla, is
still the main component of the parade, but today it is joined by many other
krews from around the area, as may be seen in the photos below.
Our neighborhood enjoys both the advantages and
disadvantages of being on the parade route and ground zero for many who flood
into the neighborhood to watch the parade.
The 1962 parade photos and 1969 parade photos were by Gary Ennis. The 1962 photos
were taken at the intersection of Magnolia and Bayshore, just east of our neighborhood.
The 1969 photos were on the east bank of the Hillsborough River near the current
Art Museum, a good bit out of our neighborhood. All other photos were by William LaMartin.
The 1982 photos were taken just east of Boulevard, the 2005-2007 photos
were taken between Inman and Rome and the ones for 2008 were a little
west of Inman. The 1962, 1969 and 1982 were scanned from slides; the others were taken with digital
cameras.
Perhaps These photos will convey a sense of how the parade has evolved over the
past 45 plus years.