Ybor City's annual parade/Tampa Fl
If you missed this year’s annual parade in Ybor City, Feb.6, you’ll want to plan for the next one which follows the week after the annual Gasparilla PirateFest, the last Saturday in January.
This year’s event on Saturday, Feb.6 was a hoot. More than 100 floats passed through the historic district in
Ybor City. As this is a night-time event starting at 7 p.m. the streets of the city are fully lighted and decorated in a rainbow of electrical colors. More than 100,000 attended this year’s celebration. The parade marchers from different “krews” or
fraternities were there in a full regalia
of pirates costumes of every stripe. Their bent was to greet everyone present with a gala of colored beads
and bangels with much laughter,
surprise and fun thrown in. Yours
truly collected more than 25 of these collectables.
The parade was sponsored by the Krewe of the Knights of Sant’Yago,
a fraternal organization through the
central corridor of the city on Seventh Avenue, named one of the 10 Great Streets in America by the American Planning Association. This year’s grand marshall was the former mayor of Tampa, Dick Greco, the youngest mayor of a major US city at age 34, and who served four consecutive terms unapposed.
The parade was preceeded by a Family Fiesta from 12-6pm in Centennial Park. It was followed by a VIP kick-off at 4pm before the annual parade and with an after party at 9pm.
The parade’s purpose is dedicated to preserving and enhancing the Latin culture and traditions of Ybor City. It
has been voted the largest and most beautiful night parade in the South. A total of thirty-plus krews and their “royalty” participated.
For more information on this historic site please consult the Ybor City Visitors Bureau at www.ybor.org or
e-mail:[email protected]. The phone is:813-248.3712. The fax is 813-247. 1764.
Ybor City is where it all started for cigar lovers everywhere. It is a national landmark. First settled by Cuban refugees and Sicilian laborers, in the late 19th century, its culture and traditions along with its historical architecture are a must see.
As reported by Michael,
Editor, LET’S TRAVEL! Radio
www.letstravelradio.com
