Gasparilla is an event many Tampa residents hold in regard for a crazy night of pirates, floats, and a catalyst for Sunday morning hangovers. Hillsborough Community College and the Ybor Campus SGA once again participated to show the community that the event is also about public relations and community service. This year’s float did not hold a pirate-esque theme but instead, a more subtle and spirited approach toward education.  The float ran HCC colors and some standard typical Gasparilla ornaments and decor.

  The float held roughly 20 students, all of whom happily waved and tossed golden bead necklaces to the crowd. The HCC float has a long history of Tampa Bay appearances and this year, it become noticeable that the float needed repairs. So, the Ybor SGA took it upon themselves to solve this dilemma by investigating how to reinvent the float and improve the image of HCC.
The Ybor SGA put their noses to the grindstone to research and fund the complete renovation and repairs of the HCC float.
Renovations included a new driver’s seat, revamped electric, a way to play music. Probably one of the biggest hidden improvements is that the float now has on onboard restroom.

  Ybor SGA President, Damon Arnold personally volunteered his time as did many Ybor SGA members to cleanup the float after the parade. SGA will be happy to any accept volunteers to help with the cleanup after any parade event. The Tampa Police Department is claiming this was one of the safest parades in the history of Gasparilla. The preliminary reports indicate a crowd of about 5000,000 for the Parade of Pirates. With cameras and numerous office along the route, arrest were few considering the size of the crowd. The reports indicate that there were only 24 arrest and only 5 open container violations, resulting in one of the safest parades in the long history of the event.

  The tradition is called back by a pirate of legend, Jose Gaspar, the “last of the buccaneers.” A ravenous man who claimed in his personal journal that he seized 36 ships in his initial 12 years of pirate life. Rival ship victims were given the choice to either join Gaspar’s crew or to walk the plank. The fate of women found on ships depended entirely on the mood of the crew. It all fell apart as Gaspar and his crew sailed to take their last score on a merchant ship, but were guiled as they began invading a U.S. Naval Ship in disguise. Gaspar wrapped a chain around his waist and neck and hopped off his ship.

  As monstrous as Gaspar’s supposed history may seem, it’s widely celebrated amongst Floridians. Since 1904, Ye Mystic Krewe of Gasparilla has been invading the bay and streets of Tampa, riding horseback and wielding cutlasses, claiming the city as their own. So now the choice is yours, join the crew or walk the plank.