Arts & Entertainment
Gasparilla Street Closings, Parking Information: What You Need to Know
Here's the scoop on parking, street closings and other Gasparilla-related details event goers need to know about.

As the city of Tampa prepares for the 2015 Gasparilla Pirate Fest, officials want to make sure motorists are in the know about street closings, parking options and other details of importance. The following traffic alert was issued by the city in advance of Saturdayâs invasion and parade:
The pirates arrive by sea as the fully rigged Jose Gasparilla sails into Seddon Channel and docks at the Tampa Convention Center at 1 p.m. Then, the marauding buccaneers gather at the intersection of Bay to Bay Boulevard and Bayshore Boulevard for the Gasparilla Parade of Pirates, which steps off at 2 p.m. The parade continues along Bayshore to Brorein Street, turns east on Brorein Street, then north on Ashley Drive. The parade ends in downtown Tampa at Cass Street and Ashley Drive.
South Tampa Neighborhood Parking and Circulation Plans
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The City is alerting the public of road closures and towing zones to minimize congestion in neighborhoods that border the parade route. âNo Parkingâ signs have been installed in the neighborhoods west of Bayshore and will be in effect beginning on Friday, Jan. 30 through Saturday, Jan. 31. Any vehicles parked on the streets in the affected neighborhoods will be cited and towed at the ownerâs expense. Tampa Police advise motorists not to park their vehicle in the âNo Parkingâ areas to avoid having their vehicle towed.
Street Closure Schedule
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Sunday, January 18 â Sunday, February 1, 2015
Bayshore Blvd Crossover Closure at DeSoto Ave, Nance Ave, Albany Ave & Gunby Ave
Friday, January 30, 2015 @ 10:00 PM
Bayshore Blvd from Gandy Blvd to Platt St/Channelside Dr
Bay to Bay from Bayshore Blvd to Ysabella St
Davis Islands Bridge Off Ramp onto NB Bayshore Dr
Saturday, January 31, 2015 @ 3:00 AM
Bayshore Blvd from Brorein St to Platt St
Platt St/Channelside Dr from Plant Ave to Franklin St
Saturday, January 31, 2015 @ 5:30 AM
Crosstown- EB Willow Ave Off Ramp (Exit 4)
Willow Ave from Platt St to Swann Ave (SB lanes closed only, 1-way NB)
Saturday, January 31, 2015 @ 7:00 AM
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)
Saturday, January 31, 2015 @ 9:00 AM
Kennedy from Hyde Park Ave to Ashley Dr (EB)
Ashley Dr from Cass St to Jackson St
Jackson St from Ashley Dr to Tampa St
Kennedy Blvd from Florida Ave to Plant Ave (WB)
Madison St from Ashley Dr to Tampa St
Madison St from Florida Ave to Tampa St (WB)
Twiggs St from Ashley Dr to Tampa St
Twiggs St from Florida Ave to Tampa St (WB)
Zack St from Ashley Dr to Tampa St
Zack St from Florida Ave to Tampa St (WB)
Polk St from Ashley Dr to Tampa St
Polk St from Florida Ave to Tampa St (WB)
Tyler St from Florida Ave to Tampa St (WB)
Saturday, January 31, 2015 @ 11:00 AM
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
Cass St from N Blvd to Ashley Dr (EB)
Saturday, January 31, 2015 @ 1:30 PM
Cass St from N Blvd to Tampa St
Tyler St from Tampa St to Cass St
Saturday, January 31, 2015 @ 3:00 PM
Bay-to-Bay Blvd from MacDill Ave to Ysabella Ave (EB)
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 31, 2015 @ 4:30 PM
Kennedy Blvd at Himes Ave (EB)
Kennedy Blvd at MacDill Ave (EB)
Kennedy Blvd at Howard Ave (EB)
Kennedy Blvd at Willow Ave (EB)
Kennedy Blvd at Blvd (EB)
City of Tampa Parking Information
For access to the Gasparilla Parade of Pirates in south Tampa, consider using the following garages and lots:
âą Ft Brooke Garage - $10 flat rate and will open at 7 a.m.
âą Jackson Street Parking Lot - hourly rate of $1.60/hr, with a $9.50 daily maximum and will open at 7 a.m.
âą Poe Garage â hourly rate of $1.20/hr, with a $7.00 daily maximum and will open at 6 a.m. At 10:30am the garage will switch for to a $4 flat rate for the Straz mantinee.
âą Royal Regional Lot â $10 flat rate and will open at 7 a.m.
âą Tampa Convention Center Garage - $10 flat rate and will open at 7 a.m.
âą Twiggs Street Garage - hourly rates of $1.20/hr, with a $7 daily maximum and will open at 6 a.m.
âą All numbered spaces on Kennedy Blvd. and south of Kennedy Blvd. are enforced up until midnight at the standard hourly rate.
For access to the Amalie Arena in the evening, consider using the following garages and lots:
âą The Selmon Express Way Lots - $12 flat rate for hockey
âą South Regional Garage - $10 flat rate and will be open from 8 a.m. â 10 a.m. for parade parking. After 10 a.m. parking will be restricted to Arena Reserved Parking Passes for the remainder of the day.
For access to downtown and south Tampa from historic Ybor City, consider using the following garages and utilizing HART services:
âą Centro Ybor and Palm Avenue Garages - will open at 6 a.m at the standard hourly rate. HART park and ride available from both locations.
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.
Getting to the Straz Center
Drivers attending the 1 p.m. show of the Book of Mormon at the Straz Center are encouraged to take one of the following routes:
From South Tampa
- Dale Mabry NB to Cypress St.
- Right on Cypress St to N Blvd
- Left on N Blvd to Laurel St.
- Right on Laurel St to Doyle Carlton Dr.
- Right on Doyle Carlton Dr. to available parking
From Brandon
- I-4 WB to Downtown Exit 45A
- Follow Downtown West sign to Doyle Carlton Dr.
- Left on Doyle Carlton Dr. through Laurel St to available parking
From St. Pete/Clearwater
- I-275 NB to Exit 44 Ashley Dr.
- Continue on Ashley Dr. to Tyler St
- Right on Tyler St to available parking.
From North Tampa
- South on Tampa St to Laurel St
- Right on Laurel St to Doyle Carlton Dr.
- Left on Doyle Carlton Dr. to available parking.
OR
- I-1275 SB to Downtown Exit 45A
- Follow Downtown West sign to Doyle Carlton Dr.
- Left on Doyle Carlton Dr. through Laurel St to available parking
See Something Say Something
The Tampa Police Department would like to remind all celebrating pirates to report suspicious activity. If you see something, say something. No tip is too small. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9U7kLtBrsoo
Stay in Touch
Updates will also be shared on social media via Facebook on the City of Tampa Government and Tampa Police Department pages, and via twitter @cityoftampa and @tampapd.
- See more at: http://www.tampagov.net/news/city-tampa-traffic-parking-advisory-gasparilla-parade-pirates-saturday-january-31#sthash.ryTbO5Lt.dpuf
For more information about the festivities and related events, visit the Gasparilla website.
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