Arrgh you ready? It’s that time of year again when pirates pillage and plunder their way across the city. The annual Gasparilla Pirate Festival has been a Tampa staple since 1904.
How do you tell the story of a party that's lasted 120 years? That's what they're doing at the Henry B. Plant Museum at The University of Tampa – telling the story behind the city's very own Gasparilla.
Tampa, Florida, has a rich history of pirate lore seen today in family-friendly parades, exhibits and waterfront activities. The legend is built around pirate Jose Gaspar.
Tens of thousands of people are expected to flood downtown Tampa for Gasparilla weekend, and with that invasion of pirates comes a boom in business to the restaurants, hotels, and bars in the area.