TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — People were generally well-behaved for the return of Gasparilla with authorities reporting fewer disorderly conducts arrests at the parade this year.
An estimated 300,000 revelers lined the streets of downtown Tampa on Saturday for the 2023 Gasparilla Invasion and Parade of Pirates, the third-largest parade in the country.
The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office said its deputies arrested one person for disorderly conduct and two others for allegedly boating under the influence. Seven others were ejected from the festivities, the agency said.
The Tampa Police Department reported three arrests or ejections, 43 requests for medical attention, 16 traffic crashes and violations and said two people were reported missing.
Last year, five people were arrested on charges, including disorderly conduct and battery on a law enforcement officer. Wildlife officials also stopped five people who were allegedly boating under the influence.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and its partner agencies made more than 275 stops on the water and arrested 12 people for boating under the influence during this year’s invasion.
“These efforts helped to prevent tragic boating accidents and ensured that the celebration was enjoyed safely by all in attendance,” the FWC said.
Further information about those incidents was not immediately available.