Swashbuckling pirates to swarm

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 12th annual Eastport Pirate Festival will be held from Friday, September 8, through Sunday, September 10. 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.
"It's a great family event," says Donald Dunbar of the Pirate Festival Committee. "It gives people a chance to dress up, and every one of our events are totally free." He adds, "We do as much as we can with the money people donate to us."
Organizers are excited about a new feature that has been added to this year's fireworks display on Saturday night. "Some of it will be interactive," points out Dunbar. "Some people will remember how it used to be done on July 4 on the Battery Field, and we will have something similar on the water featuring a pirate ship on the breakwater and a pirate ship on the fish pier attacking one another. They will be shooting off 1,800 rounds."
"And we are excited that the top rock band in Maine, Whoopy Kat, will play at the street dance before and after the fireworks Saturday evening.
Most of the events this year will take place in Bank Square, where there will be a stage at street level. "We have invited Captain Jack Sparrow to the festival and expect him to participate in many activities," smiles Dunbar. "We will have the Battle of Bank Square."
Anyone who has never participated in the bed races and wants to should do so this year, he urges. "It will not be in next year's festival. We already know what we are replacing it with."

Schedule of events
The festival begins the weekend before, with the invasion of Lubec by land, sea and air on Saturday, September 2, beginning at 9:30 a.m.
"Frank's Dockside is doing it big this year," points out Eastport Pirate Festival organizer Chris Brown. "That should be fun." "Aarrgg! [We] will be opening at 9:30 a.m. on September 2," posted the Lubec restaurant. "We will be defending our Water Street against the invasion of Eastport."
Kicking off the events in Eastport the following week on Thursday, September 7, will be a Pirate Social with a Pirate Fashion Show at the Eastport Welcome Center from 7 to 10 p.m.
Most events during the festival are held downtown, and events on Friday, September 8, include the best dressed business/window/employee winners; a pirate party at the Eastport Memorial Nursing Home at 12:30 p.m.; pirate rock painting from 3 to 5 p.m.; lessons on how to be a pirate at 4 p.m.; a Lee Southard concert at 4 p.m.; Rockin' Ron "The Friendly Pirate" at 5 p.m.; and The Hawkes live on stage from 5:30 to 8 p.m.
This year's festival king and queen contest will be held downtown on Friday night at 8:30 p.m., and contestants will be judged by the Northeast Buccaneers and will be awarded necklaces and rings made by jeweler David Oja of Eastport. The new king and queen will then be introduced at the Pirate Ball, which begins at 9 p.m. at the Eastport Chowder House. Ravenbane's Firecraft will perform that night at the Sutherland Amphitheater at 8:30 p.m. and at the Pirate Ball at 10 p.m.
Saturday's events include the 11th annual Suddy 5K run/walk and 1-mile run for children at 9 a.m.; a treasure hunt with pirates at 10 a.m.; pirate rock painting at 10 a.m.; pirates read at the library at 10:30 a.m.; the Kids and Youth Pirate Pageant at 11:30 a.m.; Pirate Parade at 1 p.m.; children can get their pirate name from Jack Sparrow, fight a pirate and walk the plank at 2 p.m.; and the Pirate Bed Races are at 3 p.m. A street dance in the stage area will be held from 6 to 7:30 p.m., and a sunset, whirlpool, fireworks cruise on the Pier Pressure leaves the dock at 7 p.m. At 7:30 p.m. Ravenbane's Firecraft will give a presentation at the amphitheater. The fireworks will be at dusk, after which the street dance will continue and the Scallywags and Wenches Party at the Chowder House will commence. The Saturday Night Pirate Ball will be at the Seaview Campground, beginning at 9:30 p.m.
Sunday events include a hunt for hidden Eastport Rocks treasures at 9 a.m.; the return of Rockin' Ron at 10 a.m.; a treasure hunt with pirates at 11 a.m.; cutlass lessons for children at 12:30 p.m.; and a march of the pirates to do battle in Bank Square at 1:15 p.m.
People will be able to interact with pirates in Bank Square before the final event of the festival, the lobster crate race, begins at 3 p.m.
The full schedule is on the Eastport Pirate Festival Facebook page.