Gasparilla Festival of the Arts returns to Tampa with nearly $100K in prize money and scholarships up for grabs

Almost $100,000 in prize money and scholarships (including the $15,000 Raymond James Best of Show Award) is on the line this weekend at the Gasparilla Festival of the Arts, but more than that is the chance to show work to the estimated 100,000 visitors organizers say come to the Julian B. Lane Riverfront Park over two days.

Fifty-four years after its first show, GFA now welcomes nearly 300 hand-selected artists—including some showing in the emerging artists section—to downtown Tampa for the juried exhibition.

Music is also part of the agenda, with this year’s lineup topped by Puerto Rican composer, singer, and cuatro player Fabiola Méndez.

There’s no cover for Gasparilla Festival of the Arts happening Saturday-Sunday at Tampa’s Julian B. Lane Riverfront Park, but VIP tickets are available starting at $150. Readers are invited to submit their own events to Creative Loafing Tampa Bay’s things to do calendar.

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This article appears in Feb 20-26, 2025.