Here's Your Chance To Get Your Fill Of Music And Food: Gasparilla Music Festival

TAMPA, FL — Music lovers planning to head over to the 12th Gasparilla Music Festival Saturday and Sunday might want to pack rain gear (umbrellas are prohibited).

The National Weather Service is predicting showers and possibly thunderstorms this weekend.

The NWS said there's a 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms on Saturday, mainly after 2 p.m., and the chances rise to 80 percent on Sunday, mainly before 2 p.m.

But if the rain-or-shine festival's luck from previous years holds out, the weather shouldn't deter concert goers from enjoying two solid days of music featuring more than 30 local and national bands across five stages at the Gasparilla Music Festival's new venue at Curtis Hixon Waterfront Park on downtown Tampa’s Riverwalk.

This year's headliners include the critically acclaimed hip-hop super duo, Run The Jewels, performing on Saturday.

Run The Jewels is composed of Atlanta-based rapper Killer Mike and Brooklyn-based rapper and producer El-P. The duo have taken the music world by storm with their electrifying beats and socially conscious lyrics, earning accolades from fans and critics alike.

This year, they're celebrating their 10th anniversary tour with a select few shows, including their first Florida show since 2018 and a special stop at the Gasparilla Music Festival.

Sunday's headliners include Canadian electro-funk duo and Grammy Award nominees Chromeo, whose appearance follows the release of their new album and performances at Coachella.

Over the past two decades Chromeo has landed three albums in the Billboard Top 200 with multiple club hits igniting dance floors worldwide.

Closing out Sunday night is Joe Russo’s Almost Dead featuring renowned jam musicians paying tribute to the Grateful Dead. Known by fans as J-Rad, this super-group has been selling out major venues in recent years with their high-energy live performances often including surprise guests.

Additional national acts include West Coast Indie-rock quintet Local Natives; the female-fronted Indie-pop sensation Cannons; Appalachian folk music band led by multi-instrumentalist sisters, Rising Appalachia; cult-classic rock band Big Head Todd & The Monsters; rapidly rising Florida-based Indie-rock act Flipturn; and Florida-based Indie-folk act The 502s.

The festival will also feature an eclectic mix of Florida musicians performing rock, reggae, R&B, country, hip hop, gospel, bluegrass, electronic and Latin. (Click here for the lineup and schedule).

While recent structural concerns by the city of Tampa prevented the nonprofit festival from using Kiley Gardens as in past years, the Straz Center for the Performing Arts stepped up to partner with the festival, allowing organizers to host the event along the award-winning Tampa Riverwalk overlooking the Hillsborough River.

“GMF did not flinch when informed by the city that Kiley Gardens is currently unable to be used
due to water intrusion issues.” said David Cox of the Gasparilla Music Foundation. “While this
news has led to changes in the festival layout, it has also opened up exciting new opportunities
to expand the festival's footprint and create amazing new experiences.”

Additional local music programming will take place at Sparkman Wharf, accessible by the Pirate Water Taxi, TECO Streetcar, eScooters, bikes and on foot.

The festival will also expand its bike valet area, which will continue to be free to concert goers. Festival organizers are hoping to take hundreds of cars off the roads in downtown Tampa by providing parking for 1,000 bicycles.

The Gasparilla Music Festival was founded in 2012 and has quickly earned a reputation as a respected, well-curated festival featuring a mix of performers.

Proceeds go to the GMF Foundation's Recycled Tunes program, which puts instruments into the hands of students who may not otherwise have access to them.

In 2022, more than 47 lower-income Title 1 schools in Tampa Bay received more than than 400 instruments along with countless instrument repairs and accessories.

The foundation also provides paid performance opportunities through its GMF Productions program at venues throughout the area.

The foundation's charitable work has been recognized with the 2022 Exemplary Model Music Project Award presented by the Florida Music Education Association and the Encore Award from the Hillsborough County Elementary Music Educators Council, which recognizes outstanding organizations supporting music education in the county.

Let There Be Food

Also returning this year is the festival's popular Calle Cocina, an extensive lineup of local, independently owned and operated food vendors.

Ty Rodriguez, co-owner of Tampa's critically acclaimed Rooster and the Till, will step in as the director of food and beverages for the 12th year.

“We are excited to showcase a diverse lineup of homegrown restaurants that make Tampa special,” said Rodriguez.

He said this year's restaurants make up one of the most diverse food festivals in the state and offer a broad slice of Tampa’s ever-growing food scene.

Festival sponsor and local brewer Coppertail Brewing Co. will offer the Florida Special Lager and the award-winning Free Dive IPA.

Additionally, the festival will be serving for the first time Frozen Tito-Rita's with its 12-year sponsor, Tito's Handmade Vodka.

The complete menu lineup here.

Gates open at 1 p.m. on both Saturday, April 29, and Sunday, April 30.

General admission tickets to the festival are $50 for each day or $80 for both days.

VIP tickets are $125 for each day or $200 for both.

Click here for tickets.