Gasparilla

Every year Tampa re-enacts the historical invasion of pirate Jose Gaspar. (The re-enactments began in 1904 and have since grown enormously. Over 500,000 people were expected at "Gasparilla" this year.) The event includes the Gasparilla Flotilla (Jose Gaspar and thousands of other boats) going up the Seddon Channel toward downtown Tampa. After lots of cannon fire, the mayor of our defenseless city surrenders (giving the Key of the city of Tampa to the Captain of Ye Mystic Krewe of Gasparilla)--and then apparently invites those horrible pirates to parade down Bayshore! We had a blast with hundreds of thousands of our closest (and amazingly drunk) friends!