Organizers of Tampa, Florida’s Gasparilla Parade have named the actor Jim Belushi the Grand Marshal for the 2011 festivities.   Belushi is thought to be one of the first national celebrities to be asked to serve as the event’s grand marshal. 

Throughout its history organizers have shied away from naming a grand marshal until last year when former Buccaneer, Mike Alstott, was named grand marshal.  His appointment was the first since former governor Bob Martinez served as Grand Marshal 16 years ago.  Others have included Roy Rogers, Dennis the Menace and Woody Wood Pecker.

Gasparilla is an annual celebratory event held the last week of January.  It began back on 1904 as a May Festival planned by the society editor of the Tampa Tribune and has evolved into a week of festivities with associated events held throughout the city.  Civic leaders decide to revive the story of Jose Gaspar, a Spanish aristocrat turned Pirate Captain.

Gaspar and his crew terrorized the west coast of Florida in the 1800’s. They pillaged and plundered up and down the coast and through the Gulf of Mexico. The ultimately met their deaths when they attempted to raid a United States naval vessel.  He has been adopted by the city and celebrated each year with a pirate invasion and parade.

Ye Mystic Krewe of Gasparilla, a social organization made up of 700 of Tampa’s most prominent men, and the chief organizers of the event, commissioned a replica pirate ship in 1954. Each year it is loaded up with swashbucklers as it sails into Hillsborough Bay in a mock seizing of the city.  The Mayor turns over the key and the parade begins. 

Much like New Orleans’ Mardi Gras, people line the streets to catch beads thrown from the floats. It is mayhem and debauchery for the day. 

The event is sure to be another fabulous day in Tampa Bay and I, for one, can’t wait to see Jim Belushi leading the parade.