Krewe of Sant' Yago Knight Parade: A night for beads and bachelor's degrees

This Saturday night, 100,000 people will crowd the streets of Ybor City, cheering, catching beads, and waving at the colorful floats passing down Seventh Avenue.

Launched in 1974, the Krewe of the Knights of Sant’ Yago’s Illuminated Knight Parade is a beloved local tradition. But the parade isn't just about throwing beads. It’s a celebration of Tampa and Ybor City’s rich Latin culture that spotlights the Krewe of Sant’ Yago’s charitable work, says Anthony Parrino, this year’s parade chairman and a Krewe member for nearly 20 years. 

Throughout the year, the Krewe of Sant’ Yago, a tight-knit group of 275 professional men from the Tampa Bay area, puts on galas like its Coronation and Grand Ball and its Debutante Ball, along with a variety of other events, to celebrate Tampa’s Latin roots and do some good in the community.

The group’s charitable mission started in 1994, when a group of Krewe members established the KSY Education Foundation to fund college scholarships for Latino and economically underprivileged students. Over the last 30 years, the Foundation has distributed around $5 million in scholarships to help approximately 1,280 local students attend USF, the University of Tampa, and Hillsborough Community College. During the 2024-25 school year alone, Foundation scholarships are assisting 125 students.

The Illuminated Knight Parade spotlights those philanthropic efforts and brings the community together for a night of revelry.

“We just want to put on a great parade, have a great party in Ybor, and uphold this tradition,” says Parrino.

It’s not just the flashy floats that make this parade a must-see. The event is a celebration of community, camaraderie, and charity. 

“It’s the celebration of the year,” says Britney Guertin, who handles public relations for the Knight Parade. “It’s about showing off who the Krewe is, who they are aligned with in the community. It’s really about camaraderie and coming together. It really drives awareness for other charity projects. The Krewe only has 275 members, so the parade brings thousands of people to learn about the Krewe.”

Since the parade is in the heart of Ybor, the Krewe encourages those who go to Courtesy Krewe of Sant' YagoThe Illuminated Knight Parade in Ybor City closes out the Gasparilla parade seasonmake a night of it. They can get dinner beforehand, explore the historic district,  shop a little, and give a boost to Ybor's eclectic mix of businesses. 

“The goal,” Parrino says, “is that the community can come together for free and have a great time.” 

The parade is free to attend, with bleacher seats available for $30. Any excess funds raised from the seats benefit the KSY Education Foundation. 

Since last year, Parrino has been working with the City of Tampa and multiple sponsors to ensure that the family-friendly parade will be well organized and safe. Local law enforcement will be on hand to help maintain safety throughout the event. 

“There’s no safer place to be on Saturday night than in Ybor City,” Parrino says. 
 
The Knight Parade is quite the spectacle. More than 70 floats, each one lit up and uniquely and ornately decorated, will make their way down Seventh Avenue. Some notable floats to watch for are La Reina & El Rey, which carries this year’s king and queen, Bill Bracken and Alyssa Zielinski, and the float celebrating the KSY Education Foundation. 

Local television news veteran Steve Wilkos, host of “The Steve Wilkos Show” on MOR-TV, is this year’s grand marshal. Fox 13 news anchor and author Linda Hurtado is a special guest.

For those who can’t make it to Ybor City in person, the parade is broadcast on MOR-TV. 

For more information, go to Krewe of Sant’ Yago