McDONALD’S ANNOUNCED AS FIRST TITLE SPONSOR OF
TAMPA’S
CHILDREN’S GASPARILLA EXTRAVAGANZA
FOX 13 returns as exclusive television sponsor in 2010
November 3, 2009
CONTACT: Darrell Stefany
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE (813) 251-3378
TAMPA, FL – EventFest, Inc. and Ye Mystic Krewe of Gasparilla are proud to announce McDonald’s® as title sponsor of the 2010 Children’s Gasparilla Extravaganza. FOX13 returns as the exclusive Children’s Gasparilla Extravaganza television sponsor in 2010.
This is the first year McDonald’s will sponsor the Children’s Gasparilla Extravaganza, the kick-off event to Tampa’s historic Gasparilla celebrations.
“McDonald’s and Caspers Company have always been about supporting events that get children excited, puts smiles on their faces, and involves the entire family. We are proud to be called the Title Sponsor of this spectacular annual Tampa Bay event and look forward to helping make this year’s Children’s Gasparilla Extravaganza extra special and one to remember!” said Blake Casper, Chairman and CEO of Caspers Company.
“The Children’s Gasparilla Extravaganza has quickly become one of the premier family events in the country,” said Darrell Stefany, President of EventFest, Inc. “We are delighted that Caspers Company has named McDonald’s our first ever title sponsor of this new family event tradition in Tampa Bay.”
Special McDonald’s memories will be seen and heard during the Gasparilla “Piratechnic” Extravaganza broadcast live on FOX 13 at 7 p.m. on January 23, 2010.
FOX 13 joined the annual Children’s Gasparilla Extravaganza as exclusive television sponsor in 2008 and will continue their support in 2010. The Children’s Gasparilla Parade will stream live on MyFoxTampaBay.com at 3:30p.m. on January 23, 2010. Highlights from the Children’s Gasparilla Parade will be televised on FOX 13 on January 24, 2010. The Gasparilla “Pirathechnic” Extravaganza will be broadcast live on FOX 13 at 7 p.m. on January 23, 2010.
“The Children’s Gasparilla Extravaganza is a tremendous family oriented event,” said Bill Schneider, FOX 13’s General Manager. “FOX 13 personalities value the chance to meet people in person, sign autographs and throw beads to kids during the Children’s Parade. We are proud to be involved and look forward to giving our viewers the best possible coverage in our newscasts, on our website (www.myfoxtampabay.com) and during the big fireworks finale broadcast live on FOX 13.”
The 2010 McDonald’s Children’s Gasparilla Extravaganza has been scheduled for Saturday, January 23, 2010 from 11a.m. to 7:30 p.m. The alcohol-free McDonald’s Children’s Gasparilla Extravaganza focuses of family friendly activities along Bayshore Boulevard and will feature the Gasparilla Preschooler’s Stroll, the Gasparilla Air Invasion, the Children’s Gasparilla Parade, and the Gasparilla “Pirathecnic Extravaganza.
The Gasparilla Preschooler’s Stroll begins at Bay to Bay and ends at Howard Avenue, this half mile route is limited to Tampa’s “pint-sized” pirates, children 5 and under, (and their families), and provides families the opportunity to dress up and decorate their wagons and strollers, and stroll down Bayshore as they enjoy the afternoon, celebrating the return of the Gasparilla season. The 2009 Stroll registered over 1,000 participants, as Tampa’s next generation of pirates made their way up Bayshore Boulevard to the delight of thousands.
The Gasparilla Air Invasion will feature vintage aircraft prior to the Children’s Gasparilla Parade over Hillsborough Bay. The United States Special Operations Command Parachute Team will put on a special demonstration as they jump into the event just prior to the start of the Children’s Gasparilla Parade. Additional “Night-Flight” air show elements will be presented following the end of the Children’s Gasparilla Parade and prior to the start of the “Piratechnic” Extravaganza.
The Children’s Gasparilla Parade, presented by McDonald’s –part of Tampa’s Gasparilla celebration since 1947, moved to beautiful Bayshore Boulevard in 2002, allowing Tampa Bay’s children to “parade” on the same route as the Gasparilla Parade of the Pirates held on the following Saturday, January 30, 2010. Children ages 6 and up will dance, march and parade down Bayshore Boulevard, celebrating the return of Tampa’s Gasparilla season. Last year’s Children’s Gasparilla Parade featured 125 units, including 75 floats, four (4) marching bands, and 50 krewes.
The Children’s Gasparilla Parade is followed by the Gasparilla “Piratechnic” Extravaganza presented by Caspers Company McDonald’s Restaurants, with Tampa Bay’s largest pyrotechnic display of the year launched over western Hillsborough Bay, re-creating the imaginary battle between the City of Tampa and the pirates of Ye Mystic Krewe of Gasparilla. Following another successful “attack” that the invading pirates have won since 1904, the City of Tampa is “defenseless” and the stage is set for a smooth and festive Gasparilla Invasion by the pirates of Ye Mystic Krewe of Gasparilla on the following Saturday (January 30, 2010). The musical soundtrack which accompanies the “Piratechnic” Extravaganza is played live over concert-quality speakers on Bayshore Boulevard from Bay to Bay to Rome for all to enjoy.
Reserved Children’s Gasparilla Extravaganza bleacher seating tickets are $16, tax included. For additional information or to purchase Children’s Gasparilla Extravaganza tickets and/or officially licensed Gasparilla merchandise, please log onto www.GasparillaExtravaganza.com and click on the “Tickets ‘n’ Treasures” link to be directed to the shopping cart. Tickets can also be ordered over the phone by calling EventFest’s Gasparilla Ticket Reservation Line at (813) 251-8844. A ticket representative will be available between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday – Friday.
Reserved Seating for the Children’s Gasparilla Extravaganza is limited for the 2010 event. All reserved tickets are assigned in the order they are received, therefore guests should order their reserved tickets early to best accommodate any seating preference they may request.
Sponsors under agreement as of the date of this release include:
Title Sponsor – McDonald’s
Presenting Sponsors – McDonald’s
Clear Channel Radio Stations including: WBTP-FM 95.7 The Beat, WFLZ-FM 93.3 FLZ, WFUS-FM US 103.5, WMTX-FM MIX 100.7, 620 WDAE The Sports Animal, 970 WFLA FOX Newsradio; City of Tampa, FOX 13, Hillsborough County, Hyatt Regency Tampa, MyFoxTampaBay.com, The Tampa Tribune, TBO.com and Ye Mystic Krewe of Gasparilla
Tampa’s Gasparilla events, including the Children’s Gasparilla Extravaganza, Gasparilla Pirate Fest and Gasparilla’s Outbound Voyage are marketed, managed and produced annually by EventFest, Inc. of Tampa.
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