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Sun, Bling Shine At Children's Parade

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By JAMIE PILARCZYK

jpilarczyk@tampatrib.com

Published: January 25, 2009

TAMPA - The blasts of cannons and the screams for beads would have made Jose Gaspar proud.

The small swashbucklers at the Children's Gasparilla Parade came out in force Saturday, drawn by the sunshine and, of course, the shiny baubles.

"It's so much fun," said Mariah Farmer, 9, who traveled with family from Ocala.

Long strands of the multicolored accessories flew past outreached hands, some hitting their mark and others tinseling trees.
Cub Scout Pack 9 of Tampa, with patches both on their eyes and uniforms, rode in a float resembling a pirate ship. Other floats featured an octopus, a dragon and an Ybor City streetscape.

Nicholas Romero, 17 months old, rode in his own tot-sized craft - a stroller fitted with side panels resembling a ship and wooden kitchen spoons for oars.

"I have to give my husband props for the oars," said Marisol Romero of New Tampa.

Romero is a member of the Moms Club of Tampa Palms, which walked as a group in the preschoolers parade earlier Saturday morning.

"It's our first time here and we're really enjoying ourselves," she said as Nicholas stared from his stroller, eyes wide beneath a black bandana studded with skulls.

Temperatures dropped from the warm 70s about halfway through the parade, but people didn't seem to notice; it probably would have taken a tempest to drag their attention away from the beads - like last year, when a squall of storms shut down the parade about a half hour into it.

This year, there was plenty of time for the beads.

"It's the best part," said Kelly Peretz, who draped her "throws" from her belt loops, so numerous it looked like she had a skirt of them. "You can see how far you can throw them."

Tim Watts, who has been working the Gasparilla parades for 20 years, said business was mediocre at his souvenir stand. "It's quiet," said Watts, of Riverview. "Anything would do though. I'm just trying to make my mortgage."

As the parade neared its end and people settled in for the fireworks, the flags of the Jose Gasparilla ship flapped in the cool evening breeze, the sunset enhancing their colors.

"It's really a fun day for families," said Vivian McCormick of Atlanta, who grew up in Temple Terrace. She said she remembers walking in the children's parade as a Lionette.

Saturday, though, she just observed from the west side of Bayshore Boulevard, far from the crowds.

"Today, all the kids should be getting the beads," McCormick said. "But I'll be coming back for the invasion."

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