Guide to the Gasparilla Music Festival Kids Fest

Students holding instruments

The Gasparilla Music Festival (GMF) is right around the corner and it’s a fun way to spend the weekend with your family. GMF celebrates the arts in Tampa by showcasing diverse musical acts from the local community as well as musical artists with national recognition. GMF takes place at Curtis Hixon Waterfront Park and Kiley Gardens Park on March 7th & 8th this year.

About the Gasparilla Music Festival

GMF was founded in 2011 and is on a mission to create a sustainable event in the local community and support arts education in the schools. The GMF Recycled Tunes is designed to bring the arts to children in the local community who live in underserved areas of Tampa. Recycled Tunes hosts several drives throughout the year to collect musical instruments and distribute the instruments to students, teachers, and school districts. Throughout the festival, there are multiple opportunities for students to perform on the various GMF stages.

Gasparilla Music Festival Kids Fest

The Gasparilla Music Festival Kids Fest will be on Saturday and Sunday from 11:30 am to 2:00 pm. Children can enjoy face painting and arts and crafts. Also, there is an instrument petting zoo with music teachers from Little Kids Rock. Their music teachers will be able to offer tips to young musicians who are curious about learning more about music. The James Museum of Western & Wildlife Art will be hosting crafts, including teaching kids how to make flowers from corn husks!

GMF Kids Fest Schedule

Schedule of Gasparilla Kids Fest Events

Saturday, March 7:

  • 12:30 PM School of Rock Ferman Amphitheatre
  • 12:30 PM Bears & Lions Replay Guitar Exchange Stage

Sunday, March 8:

  • 12:00 PM Tampa Metro Youth Orchestra Water Street Tampa Stage
  • 12:00 PM Mr. Tommy’s Musical Show for Kids Ferman Amphitheatre
  • 12:30 PM Josh & the Jamtones Replay Guitar Exchange Stage

Gasparilla Music Festival Ticket Options

There are several ticket options that families can choose. General admission & VIP tickets for GMF 2020 are On Sale Now! There are general admission and VIP tickets available. You can buy tickets for GMF here. For children 12 and under, they get free admission to the music festival as long as they are with a parent/guardian that has purchased a ticket for each day.

Amy is a Licensed School Psychologist and Parent Coach at A Child's Path, PLLC. As a Tampa native, Amy loves the sunshine and being outdoors. Amy works with children and their families in her private practice. Amy married her college sweetheart, Jeff, and they have two children who are 6 and 3. A self-proclaimed bookworm, Amy loves to read research articles to better understand child development, the parent-child relationship, and how we can foster success in youth. Amy believes that ALL parents love their children. Amy’s goal is to be a cheerleader to all parents on their parenting journey. By making small changes with our parenting practices, we can have a big impact on our children. https://achildspath.com