Natural and man-made attractions, including annual events, abound in the Tampa area, attracting millions every year from other Florida cities and from outside the state and outside the U.S.
Last year, about 13.9 million people visited the Tampa area and spent $3.2 billion for attractions, accommodations, restaurants, goods and other services, according to a study conducted by Tampa Bay & Company.
These are the most attended annual events in the Tampa Bay area:
Gasparilla Pirate Fest / Ye Mystic Krewe of Gasparilla
This event has been held every year since 1904. You’ll see 750 costumed pirates parade through the streets of Tampa aboard the fabulous pirate ship Jose Gasparilla. As you watch the parade, the streets are suddenly turned into a lively downtown street festival where people are dancing to live music. This fest includes the Seminole Hard Rock and Children’s Gasparilla Extravaganza. Plan for the 2012 fest in January 2012.
Florida State Fair
Get your fill of arts and crafts, stage shows, concerts, exhibits, displays, food kiosks, games, rides, attractions, walk-around entertainers, and more. Plan for the 107th annual fair in February 2012.
Bank of America Gasparilla Distance Classic
This is one of the top 25 running races in the world, attracting world-class runners, including wheelchair contestants, often scheduled in the month of February.
Florida Strawberry Festival
This festival has been a tradition of Plant City since 1930. It’s a nearly two-week extravaganza of strawberry-focused activities, concerts, family day, kids’ day, senior citizens’ day, farm appreciation day and a series of parades sponsored by various organizations. Plan for the 2012 festival in March 2012.
Gasparilla International Film Festival
This March event brings in more than 100 films from around the world to Tampa for residents and tourists. Run by the nonprofit Tampa Film Institute, it also highlights local films.
Ruskin Seafood and Arts Festival
The shores of Tampa Bay light up every November with restaurants and vendors offering their seafood specialties and hand-crafted goods.
Tampa Cigar Heritage Festival
Celebrate every November with Ybor City its cigar heritage and see why it was once considered the cigar capital of the world.
Frequent Events like:
- Art exhibitions
- Outdoor exhibits
- Multicultural events
- Other film festivals
- Baseball, football, hockey and golf events
The top 5 origins of domestic visitors to Tampa are:
- New York City
- Chicago
- Boston
- Atlanta
- Philadelphia
The top origins of international visitors are the following:
- Canada
- England
- Germany
- Brazil
- Puerto Rico
Of the total visitors to the Tampa area in 2010, 62 percent came from other U.S. states, 25 percent came from other Florida cities, and 13 percent came from other countries. Of the total foreign visitors, 32.5 percent came from Canada and 20.1 percent came from England.
If you plan to move to Tampa to be near these events all throughout the year, contact the friendly Tampa4U.com professionals to help you explore Tampa real estate.