I continually hear horror stories about the Gasparilla Knight Parade. I hear it’s full of miscreants destroying the streets. I hear it’s a heathen’s paradise, awash with sodomites and thieves. I hear it’s the rowdiest party outside of Mardi Gras. Hearing all of this, I was excited!
I love a rough party. I love debauchery. If I could do a Keg Stand on a barrel of debauchery every day, I’d be one happy contributor. But sadly, life’s responsibilities keeps me from this kamikaze approach to the day-to-day. Also sadly, the Knight Parade, while a decent time, was no where near the scantily clad ode to NOLA that everyone claimed it to be.
We got there early, though there were already thousands of people lined up in the streets. While some clubs sold access to their upper floors for people to throw beads and see the parade, I chose the guerrilla reporting tactic of being in the suck, right amongst the crowd. Expecting to be torn to bits by an inferno of screaming topless women, I was instead swaying nervously back and forth amongst a bunch of drunks and high school kids. Where did this party get it’s bad reputation?
Here’s a few of the choice pictures from the parade.
One of my favorite people, Pam, on her float throwing beads.
Some of the floats were pretty extreme.
Beautiful smile and a toss of the beads..
Pandering to the ladies in the crowd…
The only two girls I saw attempting to be lewd…
Yes, that’s a tit. I saw a total of one exposed breast, on one girl, the entire time I was there.
The Bone Van!
… and the band played on.
The bumble bee girl!
The crowd smelled with thousands of people screaming for beads.
Bubbles!
The Poms were out in force.
“Hey You! You don’t have any beads! Here!”
What kind of parade would it be without a Star Wars Guy?
I took over 800 photos, so feel free to browse the rest here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/denisbaldwin/sets/72157614013237602/
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Denis A. Baldwin, 2 years ago
LOL @ Bill. In all fairness, my face was in the view finder the entire time. I kept getting pelted with beads and I kept my finger on the button.
ChrisC and JonJ, 2 years ago
LMAO at that comment!
Bill From Gainesville, 2 years ago
You saw ONE tit AND you got it on camera — that sir is some fine reporting right there