TAMPA, Fla. — As the pirates prepare to invade Tampa for the 2023 Gasparilla Pirate Festival, plans are already underway to clean up the mess.
Keep Tampa Bay Beautiful has partnered with the city of Tampa to remove beads, debris and other litter from the parade route and neighboring streets during the 13th annual "After Gasparilla Cleanup."
"The clean-up supports an effort by Tampa Mayor Jane Castor’s #BeadFreeBay campaign," the organizers said in a statement.
Anyone wanting to participate in the cleanup can check in starting at 7:30 a.m. on Sunday, Jan. 29. The cleanup actually starts at 8 a.m. and will run through 11 a.m.
People are asked to register on an Eventbrite page.
Tents will be set up at four different locations off of Bayshore Boulevard, between Platt Street and Bay to Bay Boulevard. For a map of meeting locations, see below or click/tap here.
Volunteers should bring sunscreen, hats/sunglasses, closed-toed shoes and
reusable water bottles. Trash bags, water and gloves will be provided by Keep Tampa Bay Beautiful.
More than 400 volunteers helped clean up the area following the 2022 event, according to earlier coverage. The recycling coordinator for the city of Tampa said that in 2020, there were 37 tons of trash collected in all.
About 5,000 pounds were gathered by volunteers.