REMINDER: Consuming alcohol on public property outside of legal wet zones is prohibited at Gasparilla. Drink ye rum responsibly or ye will have to walk the plank!
Luke Evans Sings “I’m Going Home” From The Rocky Horror Show on Broadway
Tampa Bay International Gay & Lesbian Film Festival
“You don’t have to win. You just have to play.” ~ Quentin Crisp
“All Things Quentin Crisp” at crisperanto.org
From… I Love Old Tampa
Emilia Chapin’s Tampa Suburban Trolley Line ended at Ballast Point where she created Tampa’s first “electric” streetcar park. Emilia named it Jules Verne Park and built a oriental style pavilion and pier…c1894 https://www.facebook.com/groups/561197530659297/
Preserving Ybor City’s past, building for its future
Applications Now Open for 2026 RISE Internship Program
“For eight weeks during summer break, the paid internship allows students to learn about Hillsborough County government and how it functions, as well as gain real, on-the-job training that is valuable in future careers. Additionally, each student will participate in a series of skill-building courses that include interviewing, personal finance, professionalism, and resume development.”
Pirates didn’t just break the law; they broke the rules of straight society.
During the Golden Age of Piracy, some crews practiced matelotage. That’s a French term. It means something close to “shipmate marriage.” Two men entered a legal-style partnership. They shared money, food, and property. If one died, the other inherited his share.
This wasn’t a joke or a rumor. It showed up in pirate contracts and court records across the Caribbean in the late 1600s and early 1700s. Sailors signed their names to it.
Life at sea was brutal. Short lives, hard labor, and constant violence were the norm. Pirates responded by building systems that actually took care of each other. Matelotage did that. It created loyalty and family. It also created space for same-sex love in a world that officially denied it.
These weren’t discreet arrangements hidden in the shadows. They were public. Crews knew who was partnered with whom. On islands like Tortuga, authorities tolerated it because pirates kept the economy moving. Rum, repairs, stolen goods. Money talks.
Was every matelotage sexual? No. But some absolutely were. Contemporary writers described men living together, sleeping together, and refusing female partners when on land. In a hyper-masculine world obsessed with survival, these men chose each other.
Queer history isn’t just bars and ballrooms. Sometimes it’s two men on a wooden deck in the middle of the ocean with a promise to split the gold and face the gallows together.
Read more of Bil Browning at https://www.facebook.com/BilBrowning
The Love story between John F Kennedy, the 35th U.S president, and his gay bestfriend Lem Billings
Tampa Bay Pride Band And Tampa Bay Symphonic Winds
Congratulations to Creative Loafing new owners!!!!
On Thursday afternoon, a group of current employees and two new partners completed the purchase of Tampa Bay’s 39-year-old alt-weekly from San Antonio-based Chava Communications, which has owned the publication since 2023.
SHAME!!!
From Creative Loafing…”The Hillsborough County Commission’s annual commendation for the Tampa Organization of Black Affairs (TOBA) Martin Luther King Jr. Day breakfast is only signed by four of seven commissioners.
Appearing in the program for TOBA’s annual MLK Day breakfast at the JW Marriott, the only signatories are Gwen Myers, Harry Cohen, Ken Hagan and Chris Boles. Signatures from commissioners Donna Cameron Cepeda, Joshua Wostal and Christine Miller did not appear on the commendation.”
Organizers cancel St. Patrick’s Day Parade in Naples.
Join the Krewe of Brigadoon as we kick off our first annual Dragon Party Dress Rehearsal Bar Crawl. Disco Pony – January 17, 2026 – 5:00 PM sharp -Come ready to take your Gasparilla best out for a dress rehearsal. Get ready to raise a glass and crawl in true Brigadoon fashion! https://www.facebook.com/groups/kreweofbrigadoon/
Tampa Bay Pride Band and Tampa Bay Symphonic Winds
Today we brought together our local, state, and federal partners for our annual Gasparilla Tabletop Exercise, training through a range of scenarios to prepare for the upcoming parades. Exercises like this are essential to ensuring strong coordination, clear communication, and readiness for large-scale events.
If you’re attending the parades, know that hundreds of officers and public safety professionals will be working together to keep our community safe. And remember: if you see something, say something, so we can do something.
Stay informed. Text “GASPARILLA” to 888-777 or visit tampa.gov/gasparilla.
Hillsborough County Cold Weather Shelters will be open on Thursday and Friday 6:00pm – 6:00am.
