Brunch offers waterfront view of invasion

By NADINE PARLAPIANO

Special Sections correspondent

Clouds of smoke fill the air and lights flash from the pirate ship cruising into Seddon Channel. A fleet of several hundred boats, from WaveRunners and Sea-Doos to cabin cruisers, surround the 165-foot Jose Gasparilla, filled to capacity with 700 rowdy pirates. Gasparilla's colored flags flap in the breeze. The cannons are loud and boisterous. Beads are tossed from boat to boat. It's a party by sea and then land.

"It's one of the signature, picturesque moment of Tampa's history every year." says Darrell Stefany, president of EventFest. "There's no energy like it."

Each year, Tampa reenacts the invasion of the legendary Spanish pirate, Jose Gaspar, who operated off the Caribbean and Florida coasts.

"There's no visual presentation like it anywhere," says Stefany. "It's unique, almost indigenous to Tampa. Due to the geography of the water and how the flotilla and the Gasparilla sail across through the Bay, it's a spectacular scene."

The ship and its krewe disembark from the Tampa Yacht Club at 11:30 a.m. They pass Davis Islands and Harbour Island and then they sail up Seddon Channel, docking tableside at the Tampa Convention Center's Riverwalk at 1 p.m.

Ye Mystic Krewe of Gasparilla's captain has two duties on this day: to invade, and then seize the keys to the city from Mayor Bob Buckhorn.

Stefany says it's a challenge to see the invasion by land, but there's a solution to that dilemma, and a tasty option at that: the Gasparilla Pirate Fest Invasion Brunch at the Tampa Convention Center.

"We think it's the best way to see the invasion," says Stephany.

The brunch begins at 10 a.m. and lasts until 1 p.m.

"It's a pleasant place to sit and relax," says Don Barnes, executive officer of Ye Mystic Krewe of Gasparilla.

The buffet menu serves items for every appetite but with pirate flair: Bakery items such as bagels and Danish, fruit, domestic and imported cheeses, eggs, sausage, bacon, French toast, rosemary breakfast potatoes, a chef's carving station featuring mustard-rubbed baron of beef and cider-baked boneless ham. Beverages include coffee, gourmet teas, assorted chilled juices, and a cash bar stocked with Anheuser-Busch and Captain Morgan/Diageo products.

Local musician Daniel B. Marshall will perform at the brunch. His music is described as a mix of Peter Gabriel-style pop blended with a bluesy, folky approach.

The brunch provides delicious fare, an excellent view, and a problem-free exit route to the parade afterward. Barnes says brunchgoers can avoid the hustle and bustle by crossing the Platt Street Bridge and arriving to their reserved seating in a timely manner.

An adult reserved ticket is $60.75; Children's ticket is $51.40. Stefany says the combo ticket, which includes the brunch and the Parade of Pirates is the most popular and discounted option since most people want to see the parade after the brunch. The adult combo ticket is $85.98 and a child's ticket is $76.64. Please visit gasparillapiratefest.com/brunch for tickets. Children 2 and younger eat free.