Pirates and scallywags to invade

The easternmost city in the U.S. will once again host the largest pirate festival in northern New England and the Canadian Maritimes. The festivities for the 13th annual Eastport Pirate Festival will be held from Friday, September 7, through Sunday, September 9. Pirates of all ages will descend upon the island in their favorite pirate garb to watch or take part in many events, and all festival-sponsored activities are free to the public.
"This is a great family event," says Donald Dunbar of the Pirate Festival Committee, who adds, "We can use volunteers. Don't be afraid to step up and lend a hand."
"We know they will be coming [from] as far away as Germany to attend this year's event," reports Dunbar. "And we promise a lot of fun."
"Captain Jack Sparrow will return," he says of the popular character. "And we are happy that Whoopie Kat, the top rock group in Maine, will play at the street dance, which is where the king and queen pirates will be announced."
"The bed race was fading out," he reports. "So we have added a Pirate Push Kart Race as well as a Rain Gutter Race for the kids before their sword training."
The festival begins the weekend before with the invasion of Lubec by land, sea and air on Saturday, September 1, at 10 a.m.
Most events during the festival are held downtown.

Friday, September 7
Best dressed home and business/window/employee winners and entrants are asked to call David Oja at 458-3185 to have their house or business judged. There will be a senior center pirate lunch at 12 noon; a pirate party at the Eastport Memorial Nursing Home at 12:30 p.m.; Pirate Rocks rock painting to hide around town begins outside Eastern Maine Images gallery at 3 p.m. and will run for two hours; and learn to be a pirate from 2F at 4 p.m. in Sutherland Amphitheater. A Lee Southard concert will begin at 4 p.m.; Keltic Schmeltic will be on stage at 5 p.m.; a pirate social by the Pickled Herring crew will be at the welcome center at 5 p.m.; and children can meet Rockin' Ron, "the Friendly Pirate," at 5 p.m.
This year's festival king and queen contest will be held downtown at 6:30 p.m. and will be judged by the Northeast Buccaneers, before Keltic Schmeltic returns at 7 p.m. The Hawkes will perform at the Landmark 1887 Grill & Ale House at 8 p.m.; Ravenbane's Firecraft will perform at Sutherland Amphitheater at 8:30 p.m; the Skallies and Scoundrels Dance Party will be at the Happy Crab at 8:30 p.m.; and the Pirate Ball will begin at 9 p.m. at the Eastport Chowder House, followed by another performance by Ravenbane's Firecraft at 10 p.m.

Saturday, September 8
Events will begin at 8 a.m. with registration for the 11th annual Suddy 5K Run/Walk and 1 Mile Fun Run for Kids; a call to piracy with cannon fire at 9 a.m.; a treasure hunt with the pirates at their private encampment at Bank Square at 10 a.m. followed by Pirate Rocks rock painting outside Eastern Maine Images from 10 a.m. to 12 noon. The installation, "She's Ever Present," by Sarah Hewitt will be open in TIMA's North Church Project Space from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.; the pirate gold and silver doubloon scramble will be at 11 a.m.; and the Kids and Youth Pirate Pageant begins at 11:30 a.m.
Watch for the antics of 2F in the early afternoon before this year's Pirate Parade begins at 1 p.m. The prize for the top entry is $250, followed by $150 for the second place and $100 for third. The St. Andrews Pipe and Drum Band will perform at 2 p.m., which is the same time children can get their pirate name from Capt. Jack Sparrow. Rockin' Ron will hold a book-signing and interaction at Bank Square from 3 to 5 p.m., and entrants for the Pirate Pushcart Race at 3 p.m. are asked to preregister at 853-0727. Fight a pirate, walk the plank and other children's games will begin at 4 p.m. in Bank Square. Maine humorist/singer Lee Southard will perform from 4 p.m. until the fireworks begin at the WaCo; Ravenbane's Firecraft will perform at 4 p.m. and the street dance with Whoopie Kat will begin at 6 p.m.; Rockin' Ron will perform at 6 p.m.; Capt. Jay Tucci of the Northeast Buccaneers will hold a book-signing and interaction at 6 p.m.; from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. will be fight a pirate and other children's games; and Ravenbane's Firecraft will be back at 7:30 p.m., followed by the fireworks at 8:15 p.m. at the fish pier. The street dance will continue after the fireworks.

Sunday, September 9
Sunday's events begin with the call to piracy with cannon fire at 9 a.m. and a hunt for hidden rock treasures; Rockin' Ron returns at 10 a.m., which is when the treasure hunt with pirates begins; the Kid's Rainspout Pirate Ship Race begins at 10 a.m.; the Shead High School Cannon Ball Roll fundraiser will be held at the top of Boynton Street at 12 noon; a pirate poster auction with Capt. Jack Sparrow will begin at 12:15 p.m. At 1 p.m., prepare for battle cutlass lessons will be held for children; the March of the Pirates begins at 1:30 p.m. to battle the pirates at their encampment; followed by the Battle of Bank Square at 1:45 p.m.; the "After the Mayhem" pirate gathering will begin at 2 p.m.; and the final event of the festival, the lobster crate race, begins at 3 p.m. at the north side of the breakwater.
Artist Tom Brennan's "Pirates" paintings will be set up in Dunbar's Eastern Maine Images gallery throughout Eastport Pirate Festival weekend. The scenes include some familiar faces to locals.
The winning scene from last year's contest is featured on the 2018 poster, and Dunbar says, "We are accepting entries for the 2019 poster now."
The full schedule is on the Eastport Festival Pirate Festival Facebook page.