Pirate Festival Returns to Port this June

After a three year absence, the Port Washington Pirate Festival is set to invade downtown Port the first weekend in June, under a new crew (pun intended). 

As luck would have it, the festival coincides with a visit from the Tall Ship Denis Sullivan, which suits the organizers just fine.  In addition, Port Washington will be busy with the City-Wide Rummage Sale, and the first Farmers Market of the year, on Saturday, June 4th, which will bring even more people into town over the course of the event.  Many community organizations are getting in on the fun.  In fact, to get yourself into a pirate-y-mood, start your Friday evening at the Port Exploreum for their First Friday free movie, which will be (of course) Pirates of the Caribbean, beginning at 6 p.m.

Although organizers are working with a limited budget, they're packing a lot of fun into the Festival, including Breakfast with the Pirates at Newport Shores Restaurant, a Pirate Invasion at Rotary Park, Costume Contests, live music, food and shopping, and a parade on Sunday.

The entertainment list is shaping up nicely, as well.  Attendees from previous festivals may recall the impressive Knotty Bits, who will be making a triumphant return to the festival, along with Stellamani Belly Dancers.  Renaissance performers, the Wonder Elixir of Life Company, are sure to entertain crowds, along with the Celtic music of HearthFire Band and the Celtic/Nautical music of Bard Jesse Linder.  The Midwest Knife and Axe Throwers returns to the festival, while the Gypsy Moon Dancers will make their debut.  Pirate storyteller and Anne Bonny impersonator, TS Rhodes, will also be on hand.

A local sax quartet, 4th Dimension, from Port Washington, will entertain crowds, as well as the crowd-pleasing music of Stereotype.

Various period entertainers/reenactors will be at the festival, including GSM Bristol, the River Valley Colonials, LarpCraft of Sheboygan, and the Pyrates of Portabello.

Kids will be thrilled with the hysterical antics of the Cutlass Cooking Show, the Pirate Black Bart, and Lord Drake's Mystic Magic Show, as well as a bouncy house, S.E.A. Hamsters, and more.

Some great vendors, such as Elysium Armory, Creative Fire Pottery, Rogue Maille, Ladies in Scarlet, the Yorkshire Dragon, and DaSue Dragon Designs will also be in attendance at the festival, along with a variety of food vendors and food trucks in the Gruel Galley.

The Port Washington Pirate Festival runs Friday, June 3rd, from 6-10 p.m.; Saturday, June 4th, from 10 a.m.-10 p.m.; and Sunday, June 5th, from 10 a.m.-4 p.m.  For a complete schedule of events, click here.  

Organizers are still in need of volunteers and donations.  If you are interested in helping out, contact (262) 323-6612  or go to their facebook page or the facebook event page.

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