The Ashley Children’s Gasparilla Parade presented by Chick-Fil-A will be here in just a few weeks, and in order to pARRRGHHty…you’ll need to find a place to park for this alcohol-free, pint-sized party! We’ve got you covered, friends.

First, let’s go over the big details. The Children’s Gasparilla celebration will be held on January 18, 2025 with festivities kicking off at 12 pm and the parade at 4 pm.

A young boy in a bright green rash guard and patterned swim trunks smiles excitedly with his arms outstretched while standing in shallow water at a colorful water park. Behind him, vibrant blue, red, and yellow water slides and play structures tower under a partly cloudy sky.

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As you make your way toward South Tampa on parade day, plan to leave early since you’ll encounter a lot of traffic due to the numerous road closures and the event itself. Tampa Police and the city do a good job of directing you where to go—they have several decades of experience doing this, so it’s pretty much down to a science now.

The key is to plan ahead and give yourself plenty of time to get there. We live less than 10 minutes from the parade route, but it has taken us 30 minutes or more to get to a paid parking spot near the route. (We’ll explain where in a moment.)

Whatever you do, DO NOT park in the neighborhoods along the parade route. Tampa Police will enforce this strict no-parking zone, and you WILL get towed.

Best Spots to Park for the Children’s Gasparilla Parade

One of our favorite places to park for the Children’s Gasparilla Parade is at one of the nearby schools which charge for parking on parade day as a way to raise money for the school, so it’s a win-win! You get a great parking spot while supporting a local school.

In previous years, we have parked at Bayshore Christian and at the Academy of the Holy Names; both are on MacDill Avenue. It’s not too long of a walk to get to the parade route and you can avoid some of the busier downtown traffic.

The Academy of Holy Names usually sells parking spots for both Gasparilla parades, with pre-sales online. It looks like you can book a spot for $40 in advance, but we have been able to park day of in the past, so don’t forget to bring some cash! Bayshore Christian also has a pre-sale of parking spots.

You also might find other local businesses opening up their lots for paid parking. Check for signage, do not assume it is safe to park somewhere without checking signage. We do not recommend parking at one of the shopping centers near the parade route — you might get towed on parade day and who wants to deal with that?

Free Jolly Trolley from the Downtown Tampa Parking Garages

If you’d rather not deal with looking for a parking spot near the parade route, plan to park in the recommended parking garages and lots in downtown Tampa:

Tampa Convention Center Garage (Tampa St. & Brorein St.)
Fort Brooke Garage (Whiting St. between Franklin St. & Florida Ave.)
Whiting St. Garage (N. Morgan St.)
Selmon Expressway Downtown parking lots

**The Pam Iorio Parking Garage (S. Florida Ave & Channelside Dr.) is CLOSED for an event at the arena.

Once you’ve parked…hop on the FREE Jolly Trolley! The Pick-Up/Drop-Off spot is at Platt and Bayshore near the Public. The Trolley will then take you to the parade route at Bayshore and Bay to Bay.

There is a fee to park in the garages–the city charges a $15 event rate for the garages from 8 am – 4 pm and $20 from 4 pm – 9 pm to park in the garages and lots, so it might be more than you’re used to paying if you park in downtown. The Selmon Garage rate times are slightly different at $15 from 8 am-3 pm and $20 from 3 pm-9 pm.

The Jolly Trolley will make a continuous loop between 11:30 am and 8:30 pm which is good news if you have to leave early or you’re running late. Please note, this is a different service than the HART shuttles and TECO Streetcar.

ADA Access Parking for Children’s Gasparilla Parade

There is ADA Parking located near the ADA viewing area at Palm Drive and Howard Avenue. It is a short walk from the parking lot to the ADA viewing area on Bayshore at Howard.