Gasparilla Music Fest Returns to Downtown Tampa in March

The Gasparilla Music Festival is growing.  After last year’s near-sell-out, the Best of the Bay-winning music festival is adding a second day, returning to downtown Tampa on Saturday, March 8 and Sunday, March 9, 2014.

Fans can purchase a two-day general admission “Early Bird” ticket for $40 for a limited time beginning Wednesday, Oct. 9. A limited number of VIP tickets are available for $150, which, like the general admission tickets, includes both Saturday and Sunday.

“Early Bird” general admission and VIP tickets are available for a limited time through the GMF website (gasparillamusicfestival.com) via Ticket Fly, and at select local ticket outlets including Daddy Kool Records, The Hub, Microgroove, Mojo Books and Music and KT Janes in South Tampa. Admission is free for children ages 12 and under.

Two-day GA tickets will increase to $60 at a later date, and single-day tickets will also be available closer to the date of the festival.

Last year’s GMF drew nearly 10,000 attendees with more than 40 bands on four stages in Curtis Hixon Waterfront Park and Kiley Gardens in downtown Tampa. 

Now in its third year, the Gasparilla Music Festival, a 501(C)3 non-profit organization,  has become one of Tampa’s signature events and the most popular music festival in the bay area, earning Creative Loafing’s Readers’ Choice award for “Best Music Festival” for the second consecutive year, along with a the Critics’ Pick for “Best Repeat Performance.”

“Each year we’ve gotten bigger and better,” said GMF executive director, Ty Rodriguez. “Adding a second day gives GMF a chance to showcase a wider variety of bands, restaurants, and children’s activities.”

This year's GMF continues its children's festival-within-the-festival from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m. on Saturday, featuring family-friendly entertainment on the Kiley Gardens Stage, with arts and crafts, games and other children’s activities.

Also returning are more than two-dozen local restaurants and breweries who will serve as food vendors.

“All of our food vendors are local restaurants,” said Rodriguez. “We want to showcase what our city has to offer, and when you come to GMF, we want you to know you’re in Tampa.”

GMF will announce a full lineup of bands, food vendors and a festival schedule at a later date. For more information, visitwww.gasparillamusicfestival.com.

-Courtesy of Ty Rodriquez