Avast! Tampa’s pirate ‘invasion’ returns after a virus break

By CURT ANDERSON
Associated Press

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Tampa, Florida’s big pirate celebration and parade is coming back after a year off because of virus-related concerns. Now officials have a message for those planning to take part in the Gasparilla parade: don’t throw plastic parade beads into the bay. The parade and other events are set to return in January, celebrating the area’s pirate lore. Tampa Mayor Jane Castor said Thursday that the return of celebration is a welcome bit of normalcy amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. But officials stressed protecting the environment during the event is paramount. And that means keeping mounds of plastic beads out of Tampa Bay, where they can have detrimental long-term effects on marine life.