The Gasparilla Music Festival returns for a two-day celebration in a new location from April 10-12, 2026! This family-friendly event is a weekend filled with amazing live music, local dining, and so much more.

As we recommend every year, bring the kids for a music festival experience during the day and then return later in the evening while the kids enjoy the night with a babysitter! This event is one of our favorite things to do to close out Gasparilla season!

To help you navigate your day, we're dishing on all the details, including the festival's origins, the concert line-up, and more. So, let's get to it, friends!

What is Gasparilla Music Festival?

The annual music fest is put on by the Gasparilla Music Foundation, a Florida 501(c)-3 non-profit corporation that supports music education through its Recycled Tunes program. The mission of Recycled Tunes is to enrich the lives of underserved and impoverished children in Tampa Bay by ensuring access to musical instruments. They also give students performance opportunities on the festival stages in front of large crowds.

GMF launched in 2012 in Downtown Tampa. This year's festival will take place in an all-new location for 2026—Water Street! From April 10 through 12, Gasparilla Music Festival will feature musical acts from a wide variety of genres on several stages and cuisine from the region’s top restaurants!

Tickets and Details

When: April 10-12, 2026
Where: Water Street Tampa
Cost: General admission 3-day early bird tickets are $85, VIP 3-day early bird tickets are $210

VIP tickets include VIP entrance into the festival, front of stage viewing areas at Riverside and Fortune Stages, access to exclusive VIP tents and bars, air-conditioned and attended VIP restrooms and RFID Wristband. You can purchase tickets at gasparillamusic.com.

You can also purchase GMF merchandise here. Produced by the non-profit Gasparilla Music Foundation, GMF proceeds support music education in Bay area schools.

Re-entry is allowed once you received your wristband.
Wristbands must be worn at all times.
Ticket and entry are voided if wristband is removed.
Rain or Shine.
No Refunds.
All artists and times subject to change or cancellation.

GMF Kids' Fest

Bringing kids along? While GMF may be geared more toward adults at night, kids can also enjoy the festival – especially during the GMF Kids’ Fest. Stay tuned for details on Kids' Fest once the information is announced for 2026.

Featured activities for Kids Fest in the past have included:

Kids Fest Stage with children-focused DJ entertainment
Kids t-shirt tie-dying
Instrument Petting Zoo staffed by Hillsborough County Music Teachers
Kumba Drummers hands-on tent
Kids' Arts & Crafts featuring music-related items to take home
Face painters
Hula hoops
Tampa Metropolitan Youth Orchestra (performing on Riverside Stage)
Hillsborough County Schools Drumline and Flag Corp

Across from Kids Fest will be the Recycled Tunes area, where you can check out a sculpture using old musical instruments created by a local artist.

Gasparilla Music Festival 2026 Lineup

While the lineup hasn't been announced for 2026, we are expecting information to drop in January. We will update this post once the information is announced! You can view the official schedule here once it's posted.

For now, here is the lineup from 2024 so you can get a feel of what to expect. There was no festival in 2025.

Festival Day One

Louis the Child
Big Gigantic
Surf Mesa
Aidan Bissett
Pusha Preme
Parrotfish
DJ Sandman
Aych & Friends
Golden Era
Side Trako
Alien House
Judyanne Jackson
Shelby Bond
Entertainment Review
Silent Disco

Festival Day Two

Young the Giant
Coin
Trevor Hall
Digable Planets
Beach Weather
Rebirth Brass Band
The Collection
The Rumble featuring Chief Joseph Boudreaux Jr.
Raspberry Pie
Ashley Smith & The Random Occurance
Madowoman
Whataboutmomma
Pet Lizard
Divine AF
Jenn Marsh
Fil Pate
Doug South
Kaylee Marie
Mt. Zion Gospel Choir

Festival Day Three

Lake Street Drive
Christone “Kingfish” Ingram
Yonder Mountain String Band
Eddie Roberts & The Lucky Strokes
Roosevelt Collier's Allstar Jam
Steeln' Peaches
Kelsey Hickman
Minim
Shleby Sol
Displace
Vision Crystal
Dawson Hollow
Kayla Blackman
Nick Ewing Duo
Zeta the Babe
Alleycat K
Tampa Metro Youth Orchestra

Since this festival will be on Water Street for the first time ever, we are awaiting news on the stage locations! We will include that information in this blog once it becomes available.

In the past, the festival has hosted its Silent Disco on Friday and Saturday nights and its family-friendly Kids Fest on Sunday starting at 1 pm.

We are waiting for updates regarding the following information for 2026:

All of the information listed below is for the 2024 festival. We will update information as it becomes available regarding the New Water Street venue.

2024: Where to park for the Gasparilla Music Festival

There are several downtown parking garages and parking lots along with metered spots, but you can also take a ride-share serve as well.

Recommended parking garages for Gasparilla Music Festival:

- Poe Garage
- Madison Garage
- Fort Brooke Garage

Please see the Parking and Transportation page for more information.

Where to enter Gasparilla Music Festival 2024

If you're wondering where to enter the event, here is a list of gates for each type of admission:

General Admission Gate 1: located at the intersection of N. Boulevard and W. Cypress Street
General Admission Gate 2: on Laurel Street just west of the Laurel Street Bridge
VIP Ticket Holder Entrance: dedicated VIP Entry Lanes are located at the General Admission Gates.

GMF 2024 Food Lineup

In addition to amazing musical acts, GMF will also have a fantastic lineup of some of Tampa's best restaurants to keep you going throughout the day at their Calle Cocina.

Big Ray's Fish Camp
Big Red BBQ
Cafe Hey
Cena
Coppertail Brewing Co.
Inside the Box
Kona Ice
Loli's Mexican Cravings
Nebraska Mini Mart
Shadrach's Firey Furnace
Stuft Gourmet Empanadas
Whatever Pops

Visit gasparillamusic.com for the full lineup plus all of the Gasparilla Music Festival information you need to plan a music-filled weekend.

*This story was write-in collaboration with our media partners at tampabaydatenightguide.com. Cover photo by Caesar Carbajal – Gasparilla Music Festival Main Stage.

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How to plan your best day ever at the Gasparilla Music Festival 2026!