Where to Park for Gasparilla Pirate Fest
Gasparilla Pirate Fest is almost here and in order to party with the pirates, you'll need to find the perfect place to park.
First, let's go over the big details. Gasparilla Pirate Fest will be held on January 31, 2026, with festivities kicking off at 9 am. The Gasparilla Flotilla Invasion takes off at 11:30 am, and the Parade of Pirates starts at 2 pm.
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 on where to go–they have several decades of doing this under their belts, 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. No matter how close you live, it will definitely take you extra time to get to the parade route.
Even though the Invasion and Parade of Pirates are at two different times and have different viewing spots, your best bet is to park early and stay put. Traffic only gets worse throughout the day and it will probably be faster to walk. If you do plan on attending both, look for a spot in between both events for an easy proximity to each.
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 near the start of the Gasparilla Parade route
One of our favorite places to park near the start of the parade route 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 is pre-selling parking spots for the Gasparilla Children's parade only. Bayshore Christian also has a pre-sale of parking spots.
You also might find other local businesses opening up their lots for paid parking. 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?
Just remember to designate a driver before the day begins! Police will be out in full force!
Best parking spots near the Gasparilla Invasion and Pirate Fest
If you’d rather not deal with looking for a parking spot near the start of the parade route, plan to park in the recommended parking garages and lots in downtown Tampa. Last year, these garages were available for a $30 event fee, but we are still waiting on specific details regarding this year's parking information.
Last Year's Parking Availability:
- Tampa Convention Center Garage: open 24/7
- Pam Iorio Garage: open 8 am-7 pm
- Whiting Garage: open 8 am-7 pm
- Selmon Expressway Lots: open 8 am-7 pm
- Royal Regional Lot (Tampa St and Fortune St): open 24/7: $20 til 7 pm
- Scott Street Lot (Morgan St and Scott St): open 24/7: $20 til 7 pm
- Poe Garage (N Ashley Dr and W Cass St): open 24/7 (this garage will close from 3 pm-7 pm due to parade route)
- Twiggs Street Garage (Twiggs St, west of Nebraska Ave): open 8 am-7 pm: $20
- Centro Ybor Garage (5th Ave and 15th St): open 8 am-7 pm: $20
- Palm Ave Garage ( 13th St and 9th Ave) – open 8 am-7 pm: $20
We are also awaiting 2026 details for the FREE TECO Line Streetcar service that typically runs between 8:30 a.m. and 2:30 a.m. and the FREE HART bus shuttle service that usually runs between 9:30 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. for transport between Ybor and Downtown Tampa.
The City of Tampa hasn't fully released its 22026 Parking Bulletin but you can take a look at last year's information to get an idea of the names and prices of local downtown garages. You can also check out road closures and detours here once the information becomes available.