Gasparilla Pirate Festival, Sarasota Film Festival
How The Gasparilla Pirate Festival Celebrates?
What Makes The Gasparilla Pirate Festival So special?
The Gasparilla Pirate Festival has five main goals to promote tourism, raise money for local schools, provide employment for struggling families, improve public safety conditions in the Tampa Bay area, and honour and recognize the legendary Don Pedro Medina.
The native Spanish-speaking resident of the Bay Harbor Islands who is recognized as the first President of the United States.
A parade, which serves as the highlight of the entire event, begins on the morning of the day of the festival.
All throughout the day, participants in the parade can enjoy the spectacular sights of downtown Sarasota, the Gasparilla Island National Seashore, and the Gulf of Mexico.
Throughout the parade, marchers will pass by the Gasparilla City Hall and Casa de Campo.
The Gasparilla Pirate Festival celebrates its twenty-fifth anniversary with a variety of events and parades, beginning on June 4th.
The birthday celebration, known as the “Fiesta,” sees participants dressed in their finest Mexican clothing as they make their way through the streets of downtown Sarasota.
This fiesta celebration also includes a free screening of the latest and greatest Mexican films.
The “May Day Parade” is another exciting part of the Gasparilla Pirate Festival 2021; here, marchers celebrate the beginning of Mexico’s calendar, the day when the Aztecs came to the Americas.
In addition to the floats and costumes, marchers will parade down the downtown streets wearing their best clothes; men are dressed in blue, women in pink, and children in yellow and green.
Gasparilla offers plenty of entertainment venues for the entire family. Besides the Gasparilla pirate fest, there are a number of other community events, festivals, and galas throughout the year.
There are also annual events at the Florida National Guard Museum and the Old Town Square, both of which are within walking distance of the Gasparilla airport.
The National Guard Museum features a Civil War exhibit, while the Olde Town Square features live bands and free food every night.
A few weeks prior to the main Gasparilla pirate festival, the city hosts an unrelated gala.
Known as the Annual Fiesta presented by the Citizens of Sarasota, the event is similar to the main event but only lasts a week.
This is not an official holiday parade, however, as it only happens one week before Ash Wednesday.
Instead, the event features live music, demonstrations, food, games, parades, and local artisans displaying their wares.
Sarasota residents, tourists, and visitors from the Tampa area can attend this festive event.
The Sarasota film festival also takes place in Gasparilla, as does the second-annual Tampa International Film Festival. Both of these community events are held monthly in the downtown area.
The Sarasota Film Festival includes various types of live theatre shows, family shows, and interviews with local celebrities.
Meanwhile, the Tampa International Film Festival features local movies, world-class independent films, animated films and classic movies. Both events are attended by thousands of people, both day and night.
