Northern California Pirate Festival
/A Pirate Festival Calls Our Name
Arrgggh, me matey, 'tis time to weigh anchor and sail into Vallejo, California.
We be joining a motley crew of pirates, swashbucklers and buccaneers. There be officers of the Royal Navy who claim to keep order 'round here and barmaids to keep us all happy with a bit of brew. We be going back in time to the high seas of piracy.
It's the Northern California Pirate Festival.
Northern California Pirate Festival
Arrgggh, me pirate matey, 'tis time fer a pirate gathering in the port of Vallejo.
Aye, ye be hearin' right. This gathering celebrates all things pirate and is an annual event in June.
This festival purports to be the largest pirate celebration in the country and 2015 marked their 9th year. Like any festival of this nature, there are food booths, shops and wares, music and entertainment and just plain relaxing. Here's my own little video.
Vallejo is an ideal venue for this event. Participants, excuse me, pirates benefit from the bay breeze that blows off the water. It cools many a pirate's brow as he lifts his tricorner hat.
Join The Pirate Fun
If you're a fun-loving pirate who likes a good sword fight and to say argghhh, this is the place to be. You'll only feel out of place if you don't have anything of a pirate-nature hanging off of you.
Costume shops in town sell an inexpensive packaged pirate outfit like the one I bought some time back. I saw my outfit walking around on children and dads of all sizes. In this first picture you'll see me in the packaged costume. (The extras such as hat, belt, pistol and belaying pin are additional purchases.)
The downside of a mass-produced, lower-cost outfit is synthetic polyester material. Not particularly healthy to wear and it certainly doesn't breathe when you're baking under a Californian summer sun.
Prepare Ye To Don Pirate's Clothing
You arrived without a pirate outfit? Fear not. There are vendors on the premises happy to deck you out in period clothing, albeit for a pretty farthing.
Thanks to the plethora of vendors and booths, I updated my pirate outfit this year with a 100% cotton shirt and a gorgeous Hunter's vest. I also exchanged imitation gauntlets for leather ones.
While some complain that shopping makes the event too commercial, I find it convenient and helpful. I can't imagine it's easy to find high quality gauntlets at our local Target.
Pirates And History
We're not talking only pirates here. The time period is the 1700s. Let's not forget those who chased after the pirates too. Members of the British Royal Navy delight us with their handsome uniforms; ladies of pleasure welcome one and all.
Costumes For Everyone
Speaking of ladies of pleasure: one thing you have to prepare yourself for is the sight of "heaving bosoms" as they are called in period writing. Some may think this is great, others not so much. Many costumes are historically accurate, including the bosom lifting corsets and laces.
The Beginning Of My Pirate Tales
How did I even get involved in pirate fun? Check out this post Talk Like A Pirate Day where I detail the beginning of my slide into the life of a pirate. It all started innocently enough when I worked at a hospital that celebrated this illustrious day.
You may be asking what does a Pirate Festival and a meditator have in common? It's all about taking the light with you wherever you go and whatever you do.
As I say in another post, "Aye, even a pirate can meditate."
It is all about harmless fun and dancing and learning about this period of history.
Set Sails For Adventure
For those who share the love (or at least the idea) of the sea and swashbuckling, the Pirate Festival is like coming home, settling in where you belong amongst your mates.
Slip back in time and sharpen up yer sword skills.
We Sail At Dawn
Arrrgggh, me fine salty dog, will ye be joinin' me and me mateys as we stroll the fine decks of our mighty, glorious ships?
What say ye?
Permission to board is granted.
Set sails for adventure!
