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Pirates Weekend 2024
May 18 – May 19
Plymouth Waterfront Partnership are hosting two days of swashbuckling fun with plenty of activities for the whole family to enjoy across the Barbican and Sutton Harbour on Saturday 18 and Sunday 19 May.
There is a programme of events and street entertainment, sea shanty bands, watersports and a pirate treasure trail.
The Parade
Swashbuckling School – 10.30am, 12pm, 1.30pm, 3pm
Learn to fight with a pirate sword and board enemy ships! This consists of two instructors, with child safe weapons, teaching the techniques of sword fighting on board pirate ships. Several sessions throughout each day. Each session lasts around 30 minutes, and is for ages 5 and over.
Pirate coin making
Turn your Pirate silver into pieces of eight, with an interactive coin strike. This activity will run during the day, where customers can form their own pirate coins from an authentic 17th Century mint. 50p charge per each coin struck.
Pirate Cannon and All Aboard talks
A display of a small ship’s cannon, with lots of artefacts and a “have-a-go” opportunity for younger children to load and fire this electronically operated theatrical ship’s gun.
Facepainting – 10am to 4pm
Both Painty Faces and Lizzie’s Fluid Faces will be making an appearance, creating numerous pirates and mermaids!
Mayhem Border Morris Dancers – 11.30am
Mayhem Border Morris are a mixed adult Border Morris side based in Plymouth doing traditional and original Border dances. We dance a happy brand of Border Morris and have a brisk style, some cheeky moves and we’re not too stompy. We write many of our own dances and have ‘adjusted’ a few Border standards suit our style.
Quay Square and Sutton Harbour
Pirate Puppet Show – 10.30am, 12.30pm and 3pm
A good old fashion puppet show for the children, watch Yo Ho Ho and Jack Tarr and the Pirate.
The Society of King George III Canon / Musket Firing – 11.45am, 1.45pm and 3.30pm
The Society of King George the Third (SKG3) was formed over 30 years ago with the aim and ambition to bring to life something of the elegance and pageantry seen during the reign of King George III. At this year’s Pirate Weekend, members will be dressed as officers and ratings of His Majesty’s Royal Navy in the year 1793. Complementing the displays of musketry and cannon firing will be an artefacts table and surgical equipment found onboard a tall ship of the line.
Pirate Storytelling & Songs – 10am, 12pm and 2pm
Davey Jones lunchbox will be back to tell Tall tales of the sea, perform songs and shanties; (with Dave Oliver of Rattlebox Theatre) with verve, humour and gusto on Saturday! On Sunday, Davey Jones Lunchbox pirate band will entertain you with a treasure chest of songs, shanties and musical ditties to tickle your ears with!
Southside Street
Jonty Depp as Captain Jack Sparrow
With fair winds and kind seas, the lovable rogue Captain Sparrow (Jonty Depp) will be sailing back to Plymouth for the Pirate Weekend on the Barbican. Jack is looking forward to meeting and greeting all the pirates making port in Plymouth. Who knows where on the Barbican you might spot him as they parade around avoiding the authorities and keeping an eye out for treasures of every kind…for not all treasure is silver and gold shipmates!
Higher Beings
Two pirate stiltwalkers will engage with the public with their amazing juggling tricks.
Scott Walker Colouring Wall
Located opposite the Tourist Information Centre, The Pentagon is a stunning freestanding installation, swathed in attention-grabbing, hand-drawn pirate designs that are just begging for some colour. Children and adults alike are drawn to this exciting artistic adventure, its creative scope is bounded only in the imagination of passers-by – who can’t resist joining in.
Mermaid Sea Quest – 10.30am, 11.30am, 1.30pm and 2.30pm
A Mermaid Sea Quest led by Melody the Mermaid. The Sea Quest will comprise of clues around the Barbican which participants will have to find accompanied by Melody the Mermaid as we complete each quest together. At each clue there will be an interactive activity…storytelling, singing songs, poems for the audience to participate in. The Quest itself will be educational as well as fun, incorporating the history of Pirates, Mermaids and The Barbican as well as addressing environmental issues. At the end of each Quest each child will receive a shell to keep as a prize for completing the Quest to add some extra magic.
Meet opposite the Tourist Information Centre.
Swing Boat and Children’s ‘Try your Strength Game’ – win a prize everytime.
More details coming soon.
Plymouth Pirate Larpers (Saturday only)
Interact with these live action role play Pirates as they roam the streets of the Barbican
Mayhew Border Morris Dancers – 2pm
More details coming soon.
Plymouth Morris Dancers – 2pm
Members of the Morris Ring of England, founded in 1934, will perform traditional English dances, collected at the end of the 19th century. They also will perform their dances which involve the use of 19th century pattern naval cutlass.
Pirate Fun Run
The Plymouth Pirate Fun Run (19 May) will see hundreds of people dressed as pirates take to the city’s historic waterfront as they walk or run on the 3k route.
West Pier
National Marine Aquarium
Join our Ocean Discovery Ranger to learn loads of fin-tastic facts about marine animals and our amazing Ocean!
Mount Batten Watersports Centre Sailing Experience and Paddle board Simulator
Ahoy me hearties!
Join the Mount Batten Pirates on a 90-minute Sailing Experience during Plymouth Pirates Weekend and see the Hoe, Drake’s Island and Plymouth Sound from a Hawk 20 Keelboat!
Pre-booking available for 4 people only £70 – unfortunately pre-bookings can’t be made for less than 4 people but individual spaces may be offered over the weekend.
Minimum age 7+ and all under-16s must be accompanied. Participants will be provided with a buoyancy aid and spray jacket – please bring shoes that can get damp, warm/fleece layer top and trousers – it’s always cooler at sea. Bag storage and changing will be available from our Pirate base on West Pier
Please note all persons on Sailing Experiences will need to register at the Gazebo on West Pier near to the Plymouth Prawn statue or by using What3Words: ///melon.patrol.mute
All experiences will be departing from the MAYFLOWER STEPS on the Barbican and not the Mount Batten Centre
There will also be a Paddle board Simulator to come and try!
The Bounty
Professional yachtsman, Conrad Humphreys launched the Bounty Project in 2017 after recreating the incredible open boat voyage of Lieutenant Bligh, who along with 18 men was cast adrift following the Mutiny on the Bounty. The recreation was filmed for a major Channel 4 series, Mutiny which aired in 2017.
Conrad acquired the replica boat from Channel 4 and set up the Bounty Project so that young people could experience the incredible history of Captain Bligh and his remarkable voyages. He will be on hand from 10am to 4pm to talk more about the Bounty Project.
Commercial Wharf
Pirate Prank Show – 10.30am, 12pm and 2.30pm (Saturday only)
Join Captain Catt, the most feared pirate on the Spanish Main, and bumbling first mate, Bo’sun brains as they set off in search of Adventure, Lost Islands and Trevor! (whoever he is….sorry?…Oh! Ahem…) Treasure!
Without a crew…or a clue…life is hard on the ocean waves, but perhaps the audience have what it takes to be pirates? This is YOUR chance to sail the 7 seas and try your hand at being a real-life pirate!
So come dressed in your best pirate clobber and get ready to set sail for adventure!
Avast behind! (Cheeky)
Mayhem Border Morris Dancers – 1pm (Saturday only)
Mayhem Border Morris are a mixed adult Border Morris side based in Plymouth doing traditional and original Border dances. We dance a happy brand of Border Morris and have a brisk style, some cheeky moves and we’re not too stompy. We write many of our own dances and have ‘adjusted’ a few Border standards suit our style.
West Hoe Park
Treasure Island
Join us for some swashbuckling fun at Treasure Island, Plymouths only outdoor Pirate themed adventure park. We have 18 hole adventure golf, Panning for gold, Bumper Boats, Ice Cream, make your own Slush and much much more. You will find us on Pier Street, West Hoe
Pirate Show – 10.30am and 1pm
The pirate show is a street entertainment type show, Staring Betty Blades and Pirate Pendogget. The basic plot of the show is aboard ship we don’t have Wi-Fi or internet waves, so we like to practice some tricks to keep us busy! We show off our dangerous knife juggling, bed of nails, blind folded unicycling and some other magic fun.
Gables Dog Show – 2pm (Saturday only)
Bring your furry friend to Pirates Weekend and enter them into the Gables Dog Show on Saturday 18 May. Rosettes are awarded to the dogs from 1st to 4th place.
Please register at the Gables gazebo in front of the Tourist Information Centre on the Barbican before 1.30pm. Entry £2 per class per dog, all proceeds will go towards the welfare of the dogs and cats at Gables.
You can also enter at the dog show ring, the classes are: Prettiest Girl, Handsomest Boy, Waggiest Tail, Best Rescue, Most Appealing Eyes,Happiest Hound, Most Talented Trick, Best Dressed Pirate Pooch and any dog that hasn’t won a rosette
There will be a championship class for all first-place winners after all classes have finished.
Pirate Pandemonium – 11am, 1pm, 3pm (Sunday only)
Get ready to set sail for adventure on board the Scurvy Shark Pirate ship!
Captain Catt and Bo’Sun Brains are joined by the most useless, half-witted crew this side of Port Royal!
Together they learn what it takes to be a real life pirate with sword fighting practive, map reading training and plenty or “Arrrs”
A silly sabre slashing interactive pirate show full of swashbuckling, swordfighting, X marks the spot and of course biscuits!
So fill up the Rum barrels and get ready to join in the fun in this family show for pirates young and old!
Stalls
You can also find exhibitors in West Hoe Park throughout the day, including: Nicky’s Glow Beads, Devon Rum Co, The Devon Fudge Company, Holbrook Sweets, RSPB, Borrow Don’t Buy, Love Army HQ, The Wildlife Trust and Fayre Trade Fairy.
Royal William Yard
Pirates Weekend will return to Royal William Yard in swashbuckling style with entertainment and activities aplenty. Take part in a treasure hunt with bounty to be won, storytelling and sea shanties by the water’s edge, pirate films at Everyman cinema, paddleboarding on the high seas with South West SUP, free children’s crafts and circus skills, and much more! There will be something to discover and do for all ages and the Yard’s resident restaurants, bars and cafes will provide grub and grog galore.
Visit https://royalwilliamyard.com/pirates for the full schedule
Activities on The Green
From 10am to 3pm throughout the weekend:
- Treasure Hunt: Grab a map and embark on a daring quest to uncover hidden treasure concealed around Royal William Yard to claim your bounty!
- Circus Skills: Test your mettle with a pirate twist – walk the plank, juggle like an octopus, and find your sea legs on the roller bowler
- Storytelling: Join a band of theatrical storytellers for family-friendly pirates tales performed in the open air
- Craft Zone: Get creative and make your own pirate mask and tackle pirate puzzles
- Face Painting: Transform into a fearsome pirate or a mystical mermaid
- RNLI Visit: Meet the heroes of the sea from Plymouth Lifeboat Station
- Live Music: enjoy live music and rousing sea shanty performances throughout the weekend:
- Pop-up Stalls: Satisfy your cravings with crepes, slushies, tea, coffee and ice creams
- Rum Cocktail Bar: The Hook & Line – Plymouth’s only speciality rum bar – will create cocktails and offer grog galore with rum tastings
- QR Codes for Takeaway Ordering: Scan QR codes for easy ordering from Royal William Yard’s resident restaurants and cafes.
Around Royal William Yard
Ready yer sea legs and explore all that this historic destination has going on for Pirates Weekend:
- Everyman Plymouth: Set sail for cinematic adventures with screenings of pirate films on the big screen!
- Friday 17 May: Pirates of the Caribbean Curse of the Black Pearl – from 7.45pm
- Saturday 18 May: Hook – from 2:45pm
- Sunday 19 May: The Pirates! In an Adventure with Scientists! – from 3.30pm
- Ocean Studios: Let your imagination run wild with creative activities, including:
- Saturday 18, 10-11:30am, Mini Clay Makers – Treasure map themed. This club is designed for 3-7 year olds and their family. Tickets are £8.95 for a group of 4
- Sunday 19, 10am-3pm, Pirate themed Zine workshop. Free activity, just pop in throughout the day to create your own Pirate Zine
- Saturday 18, 10-11:30am, Mini Clay Makers – Treasure map themed. This club is designed for 3-7 year olds and their family. Tickets are £8.95 for a group of 4
- South West SUP: Head out paddle-boarding on the high seas! A Family SUP session will run at 10am on Saturday 18 and Sunday 19; get your crew out on the water for a barrel of fun games and nautical challenges – fancy dress optional! There will be a 20% discount on these Family sessions in celebration of Pirates Weekend. There will also be a Pirates Fancy Dress Social at 8am on Sunday 19.
- Steel Brew: Enjoy mesmerising magic shows on both days, and indulge in festival glitter and hair braiding at The Glitter Boutique. Magician, Captain Cooper, will combine the mastery of illusion with swashbuckling spirit. Tickets are priced at £3 per child in advance or £4 on the day (2 free adults per child) and this will take place on:
- Saturday 18 May. Show times 10am, 12pm, 1pm
- Sunday 19 May. Show times 10am and 12pm
We will be there too! Find our stall on Quay Road, The Barbican (Outside The Navy Inn) are excited to see you all!
