One of the region’s most beloved music festivals is back in all-new digs. Gasparilla Music Festival, which did not take place in 2025, is set for a grand return this weekend at Meridian Fields in Water Street Tampa. The three days of shows fill downtown with music all weekend, April 10-12, delivering three days of live music, local arts, and great food and drink to Tampa.
The 11.5-acre property places the popular festival in the heart of Water Street Tampa, a move that’s expected to bring thousands of people downtown. Not only has the festival been a local favorite for more than a decade, but it also serves as a fundraiser for its nonprofit arm, Recycled Tunes, which helps put instruments into the hands of kids across Tampa Bay. Tickets are available now, see the full lineup here.
There are dozens of shows throughout the festival, with headliners capping each day of music. Here are highlights of the acts coming to Tampa this weekend:
Friday: Mt. Joy, Shakey Graves, GZA & the Phunky Nomads, lovelytheband, Tom G
Saturday: Two Friends, Jai Wolf, Bryce Vine, Kasbo, Forester
Sunday: Gov’t Mule, Drive-By Truckers, Cimafunk, Kaitlin Butts, The Suffers and East Nash Grass
Big return for a Tampa staple
Gasparilla Music Festival was essentially rained out in both 2023 and 2024, an unlucky fate given the time of year, and organizers opted to take 2025 off to regroup for this big comeback. 2026 will effectively mark the festival’s first large-scale celebration since 2022, and the marquee Water Street Tampa location only adds to the excitement. Organizers expect more than 10,000 visitors per day.
“We’re beyond excited to bring the Gasparilla Music Festival back and right where the pulse of Tampa is beating the strongest,” said David Cox, president of the Gasparilla Music Festival. “Water Street’s energy, its close connection to the waterfront, and its proximity to Ybor City make it the perfect home to bring fans, artists, and the community together as we launch a new era for this festival.”
Gasparilla Music Fest’s return also marks the beginning of a new partnership, with Water Street Tampa serving as the 2026 title sponsor. The collaboration aligns the event with one of the city’s fastest-growing entertainment and cultural districts and is a win for the festival, the neighborhood, and Tampa as a whole.
“The Gasparilla Music Festival needed a place to land, and we had space that was open and ready,” said Josh Taube, CEO of Strategic Property Partners. “It felt like the perfect fit for right now, and a great way to give this festival the stage it deserves.”
Founded in 2012, Gasparilla Music Festival has hosted local bands and nationally touring artists for more than a decade, growing into a signature highlight of Tampa’s Gasparilla season.
