Family fare fun at the heart of Pirate Festival weekend

Pirates will once again roam the streets when the Eastport Pirate Festival debuts its 20th edition on the first weekend in September, bringing with it music, children's games, a formal ball and general shenanigans.

While the festival, to be held this year from Friday, September 5, through Sunday, September 7, is known for the elaborate pirate costumes donned by many participants, festival committee President Don Dunbar says it's the family fun that has kept him involved as an organizer for the past two decades. "When I see kids having a good time, that's my biggest joy," he says. "My sole purpose is to ensure that families have a good time."

And this year the festival is chock full of family‑oriented events, including special concerts and workshops designed for children throughout all three days. Scores of food and craft vendors will be set up for visitors to peruse. Then there's also the opportunity to visit a pirate encampment, take part in a pirate treasure hunt, have one's face painted and engage in dozens of other events, most of which take place downtown.

In addition, young pirates are invited to take part in two battles. The first is a water‑balloon skirmish at 10:30 a.m. Sunday -- participants are reminded to bring their own filled balloons. The second begins at 1:30 p.m. when young battle crews are taught how to engage in combat with foam weapons, followed at 2 p.m. by a battle.

Two of the most popular festival offerings each year are the Ravenbane's FireCraft production in which a troupe of talented artists perform feats with fire and, of course, the Saturday evening fireworks display at 8:15 p.m. The FireCraft shows are scheduled Friday at 3 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. as well as Saturday at 7:30 p.m.

And then there's the annual Pirate Parade that kicks off at 1 p.m. on Saturday. It begins at Shead High School and continues down Washington and then Water streets to the Peavey Memorial Library. Cash prizes will be awarded for best costumes.

Speaking of costumes, festival volunteer Kathleen Dunbar says about a quarter of festival participants will come specially costumed. For example, she and her husband, Don, always design period‑appropriate pirate garb for themselves. "It's like one big happy pirate family -- a pirate fraternity," she says with a laugh. "People come from all over the country, and we see some of the same people each year."

She suggests people search online or even in local second‑hand stores for pirate‑friendly duds. "That's the great thing about pirate clothing, it's just mix and match. You can just wear a long skirt and use accessories to create your own pirate look."

In addition to the family‑friendly events, there are also activities for adults only. For example, those 21 and over are invited to dance the night away on Friday, September 5, at the festival's inaugural Black Pearl Ball, which begins at 8 p.m. at the Eastport Arts Center. The center will be bedazzled in pirate decor with the ball designed to be a formal affair -- at least in terms of "pirate formal."

"We're asking that the participants attend in full pirate garb as much as possible," says Dale Doughtery, who along with wife Carol is one of the primary ball organizers. "People should come out and enjoy being with their fellow pirates."

Despite the obvious potential for confrontation between pirates from opposing ships, Doughtery says the ball will be peaceful. "We've called a truce between all the different ships," he says, tongue planted firmly in cheek.

Tickets for the ball are $15 for individuals and $25 for couples and are available at the Eastport Arts Center website <eastportartscenter.org>. Live music at the Black Pearl Ball will be provided by the Steele Hill Band.

But the ball isn't all that's designed for adults only. Those events kick off with a Thursday night special Pirate Social at the Phoenix Wine Bar with live music. Other live music events are planned Friday and Saturday at the Happy Crab. Pop‑up tavern games are planned periodically at Horn Run Brewing throughout the festival.

Activities will be ramped up even more than usual on Friday with the arrival dockside of the Volendam cruise ship. "So we'll have music all day," Don Dunbar says.

Other entities are adding to the festival schedule with their own events. The Tides Institute & Museum of Art has mounted an exhibit on "Wabanaki Modern," where exhibits on loan from the Beaverbrook Art Gallery in New Brunswick illustrate the outpouring of Native art by Micmac Indian Craftsmen in the 1960s. Other businesses, such as Eastport Windjammers, are also offering specials.

The bottom line? Plan on bringing an eye patch and a cutlass to Eastport on September 5 through 7. Organizers promise it's guaranteed to be all hands on deck for a weekend of fun for landlubbers and scallywags alike. Aarrgh.