Chapter Retreat VIP Gasparilla Weekend

For our Chapter Retreat this year, we’re going, full-on Pirate! That’s right, EO Atlanta will join 300,000 Pirates in one of the country’s largest and most historic parades, the Gasparilla Pirate Festival. We’ll join EO Tampa and EO South Florida for a VIP weekend full of exclusive tours throughout Tampa Bay and have our own Float & Tent at the Parade.

WHAT’S GASPARILLA?

The Gasparilla Pirate Festival is a massive parade and a host of related community events held in Tampa, Florida, almost every year since 1904. The theme of the festivities is the legend of José Gaspar (also known as Gasparilla), a mythical Spanish pirate who supposedly operated in Southwest Florida from the late 1700s until the early 1800s.

On Gasparilla Day, members of Ye Mystic Krewe of Gasparilla “invade” downtown aboard their large “pirate ship” and celebrate their “conquest” of the city by staging what has become the third-largest parade in the United States with more than 300,000 attendees.

WHAT’S THE SCHEDULE?

Your registration includes all the VIP experiences listed below.

January 23rd – Thursday:

• ARRIVAL 2:00 PM: Check-in at the hotel and head on to our Welcome Table to receive all the information and instructions for the weekend. 
• DINNER 7:00 PM: At the five stars restaurant Bern’s Steak House

January 24th – Friday:

• TOURS 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM: You’ll have the opportunity to pick which activity and business tours you’d like to go on (see list below). 
• LUNCH 1:00 PM: At the traditional Spanish Columbia Restaurant 
• TOURS: You’ll have the opportunity to pick which activity and business tours you’d like to go on (see list below). 
• SOCIAL 7:00 PM: At Tampa’s premier rooftop Armature Works M. Bird 

Business Tours:

• La Segunda Bakery YBOR CITY
• Segrest Tropical Fish Farms
• Tampa International Airport (behind the scenes)
• JC Newman Cigar Factory
• Walking Tour of Historic Ybor District
• Hard Rock Casino
• Rustic Creations/Red Door No. 5
• Dean Guitar/D Drums/Armadillo Enterprises

January 25th – Saturday:

• Gasparilla Float Parde Participants: Are invited to attend the Gasparilla morning brunch at Brookdale Bayshore. The pirate costume is mandatory for anyone participating in the parade.
• Gasparilla Tent Viewers: Arrive at the exclusive EO viewing tent at 12:30 PM to enjoy all the delicious food and drinks while watching the parade. The pirate costume is not mandatory but encouraged. 

Photo of last year’s Float Participants

WHAT’S THE COST?

• Registration is $899.00 per person (does not include hotel stay).
• Your registration includes all the activities listed above.
• We’ll have 10 spots on the parade float, and we will cover the costume cost (valued at $200 per person).

HOTEL:

• Our room block is at The Westin Tampa Waterside and reservations can be made using this link. You should book your room no later than December 26th!
• The Westin Tampa Waterside is a haven of wellness and renewal. The hotel has newly renovated accommodations with residential-inspired floorplans, modern essentials, plush furnishings, and signature amenities. The Westin Tampa Waterside is a scenic sanctuary amid a vibrant travel destination.
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Spots are limited for this event so register soon!

This event is open to EO Members, SLPs, and Accelerators.