by photojournalist Jeffrey Moellering
The Gasparilla Music Festival hit pause in 2025 after back-to-back years of rough weather took a toll financially, but it came back strong in 2026 with a fresh setup and big-name acts.
The festival, usually held in February, was called off after organizers dealt with repeated weather issues that hurt attendance and revenue. Instead of pushing forward under pressure, they chose to take a year off and focus on regrouping for a more sustainable return.
Founded in 2012, the nonprofit festival supports the Gasparilla Music Foundation, which runs the Recycled Tunes program, repairing donated instruments and placing them in schools across Hillsborough County. Organized by a dedicated local board, GMF had previously managed to avoid skipping a year, even during the pandemic, when it hosted two festivals in a single calendar year to make up for lost time.
GMF returned April 10-12, running from 3-11 p.m. each day at its new home, Meridian Fields near Water Street and Channelside in downtown Tampa. The move marked a shift from its previous locations, with the new space offering a more updated setup.
Tampa Bay Music News checked in on the final day of the event, taking in the music and ambiance. It was a hot afternoon, but there was a dedicated crowd having a great time, shuffling back and forth to musical acts at the multiple stages. There were a lot of fantastic food vendors and ample space to hang out at one’s leisure to enjoy the day as they preferred on the sprawling grounds.
All the event staff were incredibly amiable, helpful and genuinely interested in making everyone’s experience comfortable and enjoyable. They were very informative and ready to answer questions about parking and all particulars related to the event, which always makes things more pleasant, as opposed to gruff 3rd party security looking to find a reason for an infraction.
I bounced between stages and vendors, making sure to catch sets from some entertaining performers. The comfy little Greenway Stage had a trio of fantastic solo female performers, including Cariies Ries, who goes by simply “Cariies” as her stage name. She played acoustic solo and gave a passionate performance of originals, very energetic and engaging. Kayla Blackman is well known in local music circles as a talented singer/songwriter. She has a crystalline voice and emotes heartfelt lyrics drawn from personal experience. Strawberry blonde Judyanne Jackson is a literal star in the making. She is very adept on the guitar, is a natural performer, writes astonishingly mature original songs for a mere teenager, and puts every ounce of her being behind it. She’ll graduate high school soon and is off to Nashville to pursue music studies. Keep an eye on her!
On the Silo stage, Tampa Bay area MINIM put on a high energy set of their funk/jam style, that got the crowd going as the afternoon rolled along. They’re always a fun time and a can’t miss band to see if they’re playing at an area venue.
Afro-Cuban soul funk infused rockers Cimafunk are an explosive act that really set the crowd alight, with James Brown style snappy funk and a Latin flair. That crew goes hard, with a horn section and frenetic drive. Very infectious band that could make a dead man wanna dance! Highly recommended.
The big Meridian Stage featured Nashville country darling Kaitlin Butts, who put on a very spunky performance, telling stories about love, heartbreak, and doing things your own way without regrets. Class act and very charismatic.
As the afternoon unfurled, Americana darlings Drive-By Truckers delivered their no-nonsense, stick it to the man, brand of southern indie storytelling. Those guys are the genuine article, and always leave it on the stage, thrashing like each set will be their last. Their songs have a “phoenix rising above the ashes to triumph” quality, and that nirvana may be as simple as a shack somewhere in the countryside, but by God, that’s their kingdom and they ain’t leavin’.
Wrapping up the evening was the southern blues groove act Govt. Mule, featuring guitar icon Warren Haynes, a veteran of bands like the Allman Brothers and so many southern soul rockers, and those boys never take a day off. By the time they emerged, a large crowd packed the grounds in the evening air and the band settled into a serious get-down jam, which is exactly what you get from them every time. Warren is one of the finest performers in the southern rock space, but his preference usually leans into an even heavier sound, stretching the boundaries of the genre.
Bassist Kevin Scott, who joined the band in ’23, fits right in, looking like a ZZ Top body double, with a beard down to mid chest. He plucks every note like he means it. Drummer Terence Higgins has been a fine addition to the band in the absence of long-time kit master Matt Abts. Terence has natural chemistry with bassist Scott. Maestro of all things keys is Danny Louis, who marches around like a mad scientist in his workshop on the organ and various keyboards, as well as a tour on the trombone! He has a real presence with his signature knit cap and glasses.
Mule was a fine finale for the return of GMF to Tampa Bay. It’s an institution that the area needs to keep alive and thriving. Our community deserves it and it’s something we need to preserve and grow, both for the music and the good cause that it serves.
All in all, the year away seems to have paid off, helping organizers reset and bring the festival back in a way that feels bigger, smoother, and more built to last. Because nothing goes together better than Gasparilla Music Festival and its beautiful bride of Tampa Bay! So, here’s a hearty “Arrgh Matey!”, to another year of musical plunder and merriment!
