It’s Gasparilla month! Much of the iconic pirate invasion centers around the Tampa Convention Center, with the brunch experience happening at the center in the outdoor event space along the Tampa Riverwalk. The Jose Gasparilla ship docks directly outside the Tampa Convention Center, in its beautiful marina.
That is just one of the many exciting events coming to the Tampa Convention Center in January 2025! Here is a list of some of the events to know about.
Florida Music Education Association (FMEA) Professional Development Conference
DATE: January 8-11
ABOUT: Thousands of music educators and student musicians will attend concerts and clinics. This is one of the largest music education professional development events in the United States. This event is not open to the public.
Tampa Veterans Job Fair
DATE: Thursday, January 16 - 11am-3pm
ABOUT: This is a free hiring event for the military community. More than 50 organizations will be conducting interviews and making job offers. Complimentary parking is offered in the Fort Brooke Parking Garage.
Register here: https://my.recruitmilitary.com/events/tampa-veterans-job-fair-january-16-2025
The Centre for Women Waves of Change Women’s Leadership Luncheon
DATE: Friday, January 24 – 11am-1:30pm
ABOUT: This luncheon will feature actress Brooke Shields. This event serves as a fundraiser for the Helen Gordon Davis Centre for Women, a nonprofit organization that offers programs to help women in the Tampa area.
Save your spot: https://thecentre.org/events/waves-of-change-2025-brooke-shields/
Rough Riders Pre-Gasparilla Invasion Party
DATE: Friday, January 24 – 7pm-10:30pm
ABOUT: A party to celebrate the night before the pirate invasion! Features live music, a DJ, and a bar.
Get tickets: https://www.tamparoughriders.org/event-5823625
Gasparilla Pirate Invasion Brunch Experience
DATE: Saturday, January 25 – 10am-1pm
ABOUT: Enjoy a brunch buffet and the best view of the pirate invasion! Select seats at outdoor tables along the Tampa Riverwalk. There is also entertainment and a cash bar. Please note: tickets do not include a reserved parade seat or parking.
Reserve your seats: https://www.gasparillatreasures.com/tickets
These are just some of the many events happening at the Tampa Convention Center in January. For the full calendar of events, go to https://www.tampa.gov/calendar?event_collection%5B0%5D=9991.
About Tampa Convention Center
Located in the heart of Downtown Tampa, Florida, the Tampa Convention Center offers sparkling waterfront views, 600,000 square feet of transformable event spaces, and state-of-the-art amenities for event and meeting planners. The venue won Best Convention Center in the Southeast U.S. for the second year in a row in the 2024 Northstar Stella Awards, the highest honor in the meetings industry.
The Tampa Convention Center partners with several companies to provide high-quality event services to event managers and exhibitors, including Aramark for exclusive food and beverage, Edlen for exclusive utilities, Encore for audio visual and exclusive rigging, Sentry Event Services for security, Smart City for exclusive Internet and telecommunications, The UPS Store for shipping, printing, branding, and signs, and Xpodigital for digital signage.