There’s a lot more mystery and magic to this state than "Florida Man" headlines suggest. Take a drive around the Tampa Bay area and you may wonder about the story behind the UFO perched atop a strip club, Weeki Wachee’s mermaid show or Tampa’s obsession with pirates.

Gabrielle Calise, a culture writer who reports on offbeat Florida, nostalgia and music for the Tampa Bay Times, is an expert guide to all things wild and wonderful about the state.

Calise is the editor of “Florida, a Hyper-local Guide to the Flora, Fauna and Fantasy of the Most Far-out State in America," and she joins "Florida Matters" to share some of the stories behind the spectacle.

Gasparilla, the festival built around the mythical pirate Jose Gaspar, dates back to 1904 and is now part of the city’s DNA.

“Being the mayor of Tampa means that you're gonna participate and have to fight a bunch of pirates and give up the key to the city. No other place really has a tradition quite like that,” Calise said.
Other highlights from Calise’s conversation on "Florida Matters" include tips on where to spot manatees around Tampa Bay and where to see a mermaid show (Weeki Wachee), of course).

There’s also insights into Tampa’s take on a Cuban sandwich and Floridians’ attitudes to hurricane prep.