Avast all ye mateys! The fourth annual Fort Myers Beach Pirate Festival is under way, plundering the area of Old San Carlos Boulevard all weekend, Oct. 10 and 11.
Pirate mates from near and far have anchored off the docks of the beach, sure to bring great fun for land-lubbers of all ages with plenty of games, dancing, tricks and trinkets from near and far, as well as a pub crawl, treasure hunt, pirate ball, costume contest, ship-to-shore battle and black power demonstration.
Presented by the Fort Myers Beach Chamber of Commerce, the festival will be equipped with two stages of live entertainment involving pirate crews, actors, storytellers and musicians from across the state of Florida.
The Shipwreck Motel is the flagship sponsor of the Pirate Festival. Captain sponsors include The Beach Bulletin; Beach Observer; Lani Kai Beach Resort; Lighthouse Resort; Yucatan Beach Stand; Pieces of Eight Pirate Cruise; Sunstream Hotels and Resorts, and Suzuki of Fort Myers.
The pirate festival kicked off at 4 p.m. Friday, Oct. 9, with a pirate welcome party and ship-to-shore battle at the Lani Kai Resort.
During the battle, everyone had a chance to meet the lovable and jolly pirates, along with a ship-to-shore shoot-out and special pirate drinks and dishes, including pirate blood cocktail and more.
The festivities continue today and Sunday with a treasure trove of activities including pirate invasions, parades of pirates wandering down Old San Carlos Boulevard, a Saturday evening pub crawl, a Sunday evening pirate ball, costume contests, treasure hunts, fight ring, ship-to-shore battles and lots of live entertainment both days.
Festivities commence today at 10 a.m. with a pirate invasion; at noon, Back Bay will come to life with a Ship to Shore sea battle; at 1:15 pirate fights will take place in the fight circle.
From 4 to 8 p.m., the Lighthouse Tiki pirate will host a Pirate Tiki Party. Come and listen to the great sounds of the Yard Dogs, well-known around the beach for their unique rendition of “Florida Swamp Music.” Dress in your best pirate garb and compete in the costume contest, with judging and awards at 8 p.m.
Sunday also opens at 10 a.m. with a pirate invasion followed by a similar schedule of activities.

Avast ye pirate crews!

– ARRR Ink.: Acme Rogue and Ruffian Recruiters is based in the Tampa Bay area that focuses on recruiting children to become pirates.
– Pieces of Eight: These local plunderers are from the life-sized, 65-foot galleon of the same name that is owned and operated by Salty Sam’s Marina.
– The Holland Days Crew: This crew was founded at the inagural Fort Myers Beach Pirate Festival and has done theater promotions for Pirates of the Caribbean II and III.
– The Skeleton Crew: Capt. Robert Flood’s gang include Ship Navigator Rachael McBride, First Mate Palastyne Foote and Helmsman Kathleen “Jingles” Scott.
– The Bone Island Buccaneers: These members have appeared on several national TV and radio channels, and have a stage show consisting of singing, dialogue, live-steel swordplay, and live-fire black powder weapons.
– The Cay Sal Pyrates: These scallywags are mostly located in the Florida Keys and are a group of performers that reenact Pyrates from the “Golden Age of Pyracy in the Caribbean” around the 1700s.
– The Pirates of the Anne Gare: Led by Capt. Oarville, first mate Groggy and right-handed right-hand man Bildgewater, these marauders are considered by most as the deadliest stage show to sink in all seven seas.
– Pirates of the Sand: A crew of professional sand sculptors, also known as the Sand Lubbers. Their specialty is creating pirate-themed sand sculptures while dressed in authentic pirate clothing.
– Royal Chessman: Capt. Nigel Southwick’s crew includes Harpoon Abby, Becky Blackheart and Scottie O’Brien Smith (SOS).