Live From Gasparilla: Great Day For A Parade

Beads? I Got Beads: Damon Dominguez had a steady flow of people asking to take a photo with him and his necklace of humongous beads.

Dominguez, 24, spent a day or two attaching outdoor Christmas ornaments to wire rope and a clamp. He ended up with 19 beads on one necklace; some larger than others.

The Tampa resident spray-painted them orange and blue because he loves the University of Florida.

"You can still be a Gator even if you didn't go to the school," he said.

• Jose Patino Girona

Going Crackers Over Spyke: Spyke, a 16-year-old, blue-and-gold macaw parrot, is a photograph magnet perched on her owner's shoulder.

Adorned in pirate garb, Mike Mularz and Julie Sommerville are frequent Gasparilla paradegoers. People stop them frequently, asking to take photographs with Spyke.

Scratch the bird's head, she loves it. Touch her tail, she might bite.

"We're here for good times, to meet new people and spread random acts of kindness and forget about the day's worries," Mularz said.

Spyke gets into the act, giving random "kisses" to intrigued passers-by.

• Kathy Steele

Pirate In Training: Elfriede Black, 15 months old, got her Gasparilla sea legs ready by walking the patio at the Tampa Convention Center - in pirate hat and patent-leather Mary Jane shoes.

A brochure promoting the annual spectacle lured her parents, Cricket and Bill Black, across the state from Palm Bay for their first Gasparilla.

"My husband is really into pirates," said Cricket Black, who sewed the couple's outfits.

And perfect pirates make for perfect tourists.

"We were directed to Malio's," Bill Black said. "Grandma had her first $100 lobster."

• Kathy Steele

'Just Taking It All In': About three hours before the parade began, participants along Bayshore Boulevard ate Cuban sandwiches and chicken and yellow rice.

Some traded beads; others kisses. Cigars were lit, music blared and the queen of the Carnaval de Barranquilla danced to Colombian music blasting from her float, the red feathers on her headdress swaying in a light breeze.

Parking their bikes in an empty grassy spot near some floats, Gayle Braun and Clar Sloan slathered on sunscreen. Ontario natives in town visiting Braun's sister, they drove from Palm Harbor for their first Gasparilla.

"We didn't know what parking would be like," Sloan said, "so we brought the bikes."

Braun wondered whether she would be able to catch some beads. A member of the Red Hat Society, she was on the lookout for red and purple ones.

As they capped their sunscreen and put on hats, pirates, Indians, Scotsmen in kilts, cowgirls in leather chaps and would-be passengers from the Titanic passed by.

"We're just taking it all in," Sloan said.

• Jamie Pilarczyk

Big Hands, Big Hearts: Egypt Shrine clowns said the parade is a great opportunity to spread the word about their charitable hospital work for children.

The clowns don't toss beads, eat, drink alcoholic beverages or smoke during the event, "but we make people laugh," said Petey Williams. "And we probably have a brighter outlook by the end of the parade than the other krewes."

Clown Eliot "El-mo" Lincoln wore four-fingered white gloves that made his hands look 10 times bigger. He said he hears people shout, "Thank you for helping our kids.

"It's the best part," Lincoln said.

• Jamie Pilarczyk

Take My City, Please: Tampa Mayor Pam Iorio handed the keys to the city over to a host of invading pirates at the Tampa Convention Center, and crowds of onlookers scurried toward the waterfront to jostle for viewing positions for the parade along Bayshore Boulevard.

Joanna Williams' first customers stopped at the Holla Dolla stand at Franklin and Brorein streets where hot dogs, chicken sandwiches and sausages were for sale.

"This is how we raise money," said Williams, director of the nonprofit job search agency Jobs4USA.

The agency works with the Tampa Housing Authority and the Department of Justice to find jobs for teenagers, ex-felons or anyone else looking for work.

T'Keyah Sneed, 17, was working as Williams' assistant.

"It's self-employment before stealing and starving," Williams said. The Holla Dolla, she said, shows how easy it is to launch a business.

• Kathy Steele

Pirate Blows In From Windy City: Victoria Sorrels of Lakeland invited her boyfriend, Alphonso Harris of Chicago, to join her for the festivities. The couple were on Bayshore Boulevard, south of Dakota Avenue.

It was Harris' first Gasparilla, and he went all-out. Sorrels had no trouble persuading him to dress as a swashbuckling pirate.

"Deep down inside I am a pirate,'' Harris said. "I'm just a city pirate. I'm getting back to my roots."

• Jose Patino Girona

A Sudsy Contraption: Paradegoers were more interested in sights and sounds along the waterfront this afternoon than they were in Brock Hurley's 100-person beer bong at Wings Gone Wild on Bay to Bay Boulevard, a few blocks off Bayshore Boulevard.

Hurley invented the 20-foot-tall contraption last year when his work selling mortgages and real estate dissipated with the economic slowdown.

For a $10 cover charge at Wings Gone Wild, participants get a 20-ounce shot of beer in eight seconds.

Hurley first used the machine last year when Louisiana State University played his alma mater, the University of Florida, in Gainesville.

• Jamie Pilarczyk

Dressed For Success: Ric Wellhart, a University of South Florida senior, said he spent about $100 on his pirate outfit.

His favorite accessory?

An "authentic" pirate goblet; black and featuring a skull and crossbones.

"It brings more attention to us," he said. "It makes it more festive."

Wellhart and his roommate, USF junior Chris Walksler, were on Bayshore Boulevard around noon as the Jose Gasparilla pirate ship made its way across Hillsborough Bay toward downtown.

• Jose Patino Girona

A Smokin' Good Time: Lana Clendenning, a self-proclaimed "cigar girl," has worked the Gasparilla parade for three years. On Saturday, she peddled cigars, cigarettes and butane lighters on Bayshore Boulevard, near the Davis Islands bridges.

Clendenning said Gasparilla is her favorite event. It's outdoors and, most significantly, lucrative.

"I'm all about the money," she said. "If there is an event I'm going to be there to make money."

She planned to work for about 12 hours and, with luck, top last year's take-home booty of about $500.

• Jose Patino Girona

Feather And Lace: With a red silk rose in her feathered pirate hat and black lace on her boots, Diane Dixon conquered Bayshore Boulevard before dawn.

Dixon, 54, and her husband, Alan, 49, drove from Plant City to stake out their spot for the Gasparilla parade.

"We've been doing this for 10 years," Alan said.

"I've missed only one Gasparilla since I was 8 years old," Diane said. "There's nothing like watching the sun come up over the bay. It's beautiful."

Dressed as a "princess pirate wench," Diane brought a bag of beads for friends Sandy and Greg Gatewood of Louisville, Ky., to share.

To reciprocate, the Gatewoods brought plastic cups from the Kentucky Derby for Bloody Mary's.

Sandy Gatewood had tied a bandanna around her head to match her flowing red shirt.

"Greg was like, 'Oh, no,'" she said with a laugh.

Alan Dixon likes watching the day unfold, except for latecomers "butting in at the last minute."

His wife shushed him. "That's all right. Nobody can spoil your day today."

She raised her glass in a toast. "Happy Gasparilla, everybody!"

Valerie Kalfrin

From Pigskin To Beads: As vendors rolled colorful carts of beads and hats along Bayshore Boulevard and joggers pounded the pavement, about 40 Tampa police officers gathered under a tree at Bay to Bay Boulevard to go over their invasion plans.

"Don't let any joggers or walkers past you onto the route. Go ahead and lock that down," Sgt. Rick Ubinas told the group.

With many officers fresh off Super Bowl duty, working Gasparilla this year is a challenge. But it's such an established event, it "runs real smooth," he said. Officers are swift to respond to complaints from residents and paradegoers.

"We're very tuned in that this does not become an event known for drinking and debauchery," Ubinas said. "This is our marquee event, and we don't want it to become that. It's not Mardi Gras."

He has worked the parade for 15 years; another supervisor, Cpl. Judy Diaz, for 18 years.

"We're exhausted," said Diaz, who worked during the Super Bowl.

Even so, imagining the day ahead made her smile: "I have a good time with my crowd."

Valerie Kalfrin

Bracing For A Party: Ian and Audrey Brown of Jacksonville are in Tampa for their first Gasparilla.

They arrived about 11 p.m. Friday and parked their 1985 Volkswagen van in a strategic location on Channel Drive beside Seddon Channel, where the Jose Gasparilla pirate ship is expected to pass before docking in downtown.

Ian, 27, and Audrey, 22, were joined by other revelers getting an early start this morning. A fire pit fended off the chill, skull-and-crossbones flags festooned the road, and mimosas and beer were beverages of choice as spectators braced themselves for a long day of partying.

• Jamie Pilarczyk

A Careful Agenda: Shelly Hollingsworth remembers going to the Gasparilla parade before barricades were erected to keep people from diving between floats for beads.

Hollingsworth, a counselor at Tampa Bay Technical High School, and her husband, Greg, sat on Bayshore Boulevard near Bay to Bay Boulevard about 8 a.m. this morning in a prime spot to watch the festivities.

"She's the planner," Greg Hollingsworth said, nodding at his wife. "I just go with the flow."

The couple, who live about five blocks from the parade route, had a careful agenda. Read newspapers until friends arrive to hold their place. Then, "I'll go home and put the food for this afternoon in the crock pot, and we'll have pork and rice and dessert," Shelly said.

Their house is decorated with beads from parades past.

"We always try to get a few special ones with the date," Shelly said. "The rest are for the kids."

Valerie Kalfrin

Hungry Pirates: Trish Bergelt's first Gasparilla Day brought tears to her eyes.

Bergelt, 42, of Kissimmee, her 20-year-old son and friends chopped their way through 100 pounds of onions this morning, preparing their concession stand for hungry pirates.

"It comes and goes in waves," Bergelt said of the onions' effects, pausing over the cutting board.

The vendors with Bailey's Concessions also brought 300 pounds of meat: steak for sandwiches, bratwurst, hotdogs and hamburgers.

"We don't really know how busy it's going to be," she said.

Friend Brent Stevenson, 30, tended to the griddle, filling the air with the aroma of sizzling beef. Husband Paul Bergelt mixed lemonade.

The Bergelts researched the parade online Friday night but still couldn't quite imagine the horde of spectators. Daughters Paige, 17, and Parker, 11, were curious about the beads.

"I have thousands at home from New Year's events and Girl Scout events," Paige said. "I'm kind of a pack rat."

Valerie Kalfrin