Gasparilla Music Festival — Local services in Tampa

Disclaimer: my roommate won free 1 day VIP tickets from a sponsor, so that certainly affects my experience.

The event takes place at Curtis Hixon. Our tickets included free food, drinks (alcoholic, sodas, water, juices, energy drinks), access to bathrooms in trailers with running water and air conditioning along with private covered areas for viewing the concerts and sitting.

If I go again next year, I'm planning on buying vip tickets because it is worth the money.

Even without those perks, the festival would have been very enjoyable.

Parking was easy (10 bucks at a parking garage next door) and exciting at the end of the night only took 20 minutes. With 4 stages going, there was always a great variety of music to be had. Vendors were plentiful and reasonably priced for an event like this. Slightly long lines for some of the vendors, but it wasn't like a thirty minute wait...

GMF is hands down one of my favorite events in Tampa. I love attending the event and participating as a volunteer. 2024 was epic - I had an absolute blast singing and dancing in the rain with Young the Giant. I would give anything to experience that concert again for the first time.

GMF did a stellar job finding a last minute replacement for Lake Street Dive. The entire event is so well organized, and the fact that it benefits kids to allow them to have instruments and be musicians is what makes it so special and worthwhile. Also the bike valet is always...

this fest is a scam, terrible line up, over priced, the first few years it was great, now its sh** , plus I cant forget to mention the VIP section is far to big and everybody in it just talks. nobody in the VIP was there to hear music they just kept talking and talking and talking....... worst festival ever! if I could give it less then one...