TAMPA, Fla. — Children’s Gasparilla has many of the bells and whistles of the main Gasparilla event, including a parade, crowds and, of course, cannon blasts.

But for this year's event, the city made an extra effort to be inclusive of children who may be overstimulated by some of those sights and sounds by adding Gasparilla's first ever sensory relief zone.

Lisa Bunn said she considers Gasparilla a big family tradition.

“I’m a South Tampa girl,” she said. “It’s a necessity.”

Now, with little ones, the kid-friendly celebration was where it was at, but Bunn said in past years she’s had to be extra cautious.

Her daughter, Elena, who is now 11, is autistic and has some sensory issues.

Bunn said the crowd can get too loud, or the sound of the cannons can be too much for her daughter, and she used to plan the day around those possibilities.

“We would bring a kiddie gate, and we would set up our fold-up chairs and wrap this gate around just so I knew she’d be safe,” said Bunn.

This year's sensory relief zone was located at the corner of Bayshore Boulevard and West Barcelona Street.

“It’s going to actually be in the median on the surface concrete because we want to be sure if there’s individuals who use wheelchairs or mobility equipment can also have access to it as well,” said Tampa’s Americans with Disabilities Act Coordinator Raquel Pancho ahead of the event.

She said the zone has been a success at other Tampa events, such as Boom by the Bay and Santa Fest.

“We’re going to have noise-canceling headsets, earbuds, fidget items, some sensory toys and some quiet types of activities,” Pancho said.

And for Bunn, she said knowing the zone was there meant a little less stress when planning the day.

“It’s a quiet, safe place for individuals that get over stimulated to come and enjoy an event,” she said.