Pirate Party on the Beach

On May 18th and 19th The Moody Crewe and The City of Virginia Beach hosted the 2nd annual Pirate Party on the Beach at the 17th Street Park. Friday eve was a bit dicey with the high winds and chilly temperatures, but scads of people came out for the treasure hunt and movie on the beach. The winner took home a treasure chest with $300 in gold dollar coins. Saturday the weather was perfect and everyone enjoyed the salty sea air in the company of all manner of pirates. The Brigands, a band from Long Island arrived in their van the Hellion (wouldn't you like to see that sailing down the Jersey Turnpike?). Their foot-stomping, hand-clapping music from the Golden Age of Piracy energized the crowd. Storyteller Captain William Passenger; the Shadowplayers,a stage combat group from North Carolina; and the musical Overland Pre-emptive Salvage Company entertained the crowd throughout the day. Local museums: The Mariner's Museum, The Cape Henry Lighthouse, Bacon's Castle, Virginia Museum of Contemporary Art, Old Coast Guard Station, and Portsmouth Naval Shipyard Museum provided activites for the children along with the Bandana Lady and face painters. The Moody Crewe and the York Privateers showed a slice of everyday life in the late 1600's-early 1700's for pirates on sea and land. Then there was the "Pirate Olympics" on the beach where teams showed their strength, speed and stamina. The "Drag our Swag" leg of the event really separated the pirates from the lubbers. The Brigands finished out the evening with another performance on the beach. I have to brag on my pirate sweetie, Al, for working so hard to create a fabulous event!