09/20/2026
☠ AHOY, MATEYS! ☠
7th Annual Port Royal Pirate Festival
Saturday, October 3, 2026 • 10:00 AM–6:00 PM
Town Green • 419 King Street • Port Royal, Virginia 22535
Celebrating America’s 250th & Port Royal’s 282nd Birthday!
Near the Port Royal Crossroads at the intersection of US 301 and US 17, home to our well-known local landmark, Horne’s Restaurant and Gifts.
ADMISSION BE FREE!
Ahoy, mateys! Hoist the colors, gather yer crew, and chart a course for historic Port Royal on the Rappahannock! The 7th Annual Port Royal Pirate Festival be sailin’ into Town Green for a full day of swashbucklin’ adventure, history, music, merriment, and family fun!
From the moment ye step ashore, ye’ll find Port Royal transformed into a lively pirate haven filled with professional pirate crews, reenactors, booming cannon fire, mermaids, live music, merchants, food trucks, children’s adventures, costume contests, prizes, and plenty of surprises along the way.
⚓ A PIRATE FESTIVAL 282 YEARS IN THE MAKIN’!
This year’s Port Royal Pirate Festival be more than a grand gathering of pirates, mermaids, musicians, and scallywags.
WE BE CELEBRATIN’ HISTORY!
The 7th Annual Port Royal Pirate Festival is proud to be part of America’s 250th Celebration, commemorating the 250th anniversary of American independence.
But there be another birthday to celebrate! The Festival also serves as a mighty fine birthday party for the Town of Port Royal, founded in October 1744.
282 YEARS OF PORT ROYAL HISTORY!
☠ PORT ROYAL HAD A REAL PIRATE!
Think the pirates roaming Town Green be the first scallywags to cause a commotion around these parts? Think again, matey!
Local history remembers a real pirate known as Monsieur Peuman, who is said to have ravaged the Port Royal area during his exploits along these waters.
Though Monsieur Peuman and his crew be long gone, his name remains upon our landscape. Look at maps of the area today and ye’ll find Peumansend Creek, preserving the name of Monsieur Peuman and providing a lasting reminder of Port Royal’s colorful pirate past.
And don’t let the spelling of his name fool ye! “Peuman” is pronounced approximately “New-Mon,” with a long “O” sound—similar to the sound in “pneumonia.”
THE LEGEND OF MONSIEUR PEUMAN COMES TO LIFE!
This Festival, the Jolly Roving Tars plan to bring Monsieur Peuman’s tale back to Port Royal with a special skit inspired by the pirate who once terrorized these waters!
THE PIRATES YE MEET MAY BE REENACTORS — BUT PORT ROYAL’S PIRATE HISTORY BE REAL!
🏴☠️ EIGHT PIRATE CREWS & ACTS BE COMIN’!
• ☠ Blackbeard’s Crew
• ☠ The Loose Cannon Company
• ☠ First Mates Munitions
• ☠ Skullduggery Crew
• ☠ Bedlum Bones
• ☠ Captain Jaxx Parrow
• ☠ Death by Bellows
• ☠ Jolly Roving Tars
These scallywags will bring history to life with pirate encampments, demonstrations, colorful characters, tales of the sea, music, weapons and artillery demonstrations, and plenty of opportunities to mingle with the crews throughout the day.
🎶 MUSIC FOR THE PIRATE SOUL!
What be a pirate gathering without music? Enjoy live music throughout the Festival from:
• ♪ Death By Bellows
• ♪ Bedlum Bones
• ♪ Jolly Roving Tars
🗺 THE CAPTAIN’S LOG — TENTATIVE FESTIVAL HIGHLIGHTS
All times are approximate and subject to change as we finalize the Festival schedule.
Around 12 Noon — FIRE IN THE HOLE!
Our pirate crews are planning cannon firings at least twice during the Festival, with the first expected around 12 Noon. When the warning be given, cover the ears of the wee ones—the cannons be ready to ROAR!
Around 1:00 PM — THE GREAT PIRATE PARADE!
Our professional pirates will muster their crews and set forth on a Pirate Parade around and through Town Green. Pirates, mermaids, lads, lasses, wee buccaneers, and other costumed Festival guests are invited to fall in with the crews and join the parade!
Around 1:30 PM — CHILDREN’S PIRATE COSTUME CONTEST
Children ages 0–12 are invited to enter our Children’s Pirate Costume Contest, with prizes for the winners. Our professional pirates will serve as the judges!
Around 2:00 PM — ADULT PIRATE COSTUME CONTEST
Pirates ages 13 and up are invited to enter the Adult Pirate Costume Contest, also judged by our professional pirate crews. There’ll be prizes, so bring yer finest pirate swagger!
Around 3:00 PM — CHILDREN’S STORY HOUR WITH ELK MOON
Gather the wee pirates and settle in for a special Children’s Story Hour with Elk Moon.
Around 4:00 PM — THE CANNONS ROAR AGAIN!
A second cannon firing is planned for around 4:00 PM. When the warning comes—cover yer ears, mateys!
Around 5:45 PM — 50/50 RAFFLE DRAWING & CLOSING CEREMONIES
Tickets be $5 each or 5 for $20, and ye need not be present to win. One lucky scallywag will sail away with half the treasure collected, while the other half helps support the Festival and helps keep admission FREE.
🧜♀️ MERMAIDS HAVE BEEN SPOTTED IN PORT ROYAL!
Avast! Pirates ain’t the only creatures makin’ their way to our shores! Straight from the mysterious waters come two enchanting visitors:
• 🧜 Mermaid Dani Moon
• 🧜 Mermaid Siren Isis
Keep a sharp lookout as ye explore the Festival. Ye never know when ye might encounter a mermaid among the pirates!
🧭 CALLING ALL WEE BUCCANEERS!
Our youngest scallywags have a port of their very own at our dedicated Pirate Kids Station! Bring the wee lads and lasses for activities and pirate fun created especially for our youngest Festival adventurers. And don’t forget Children’s Story Hour with Elk Moon at approximately 3:00 PM!
🐂 THINK YE BE TOUGH ENOUGH?
For the truly adventurous mates, another beast awaits ye ashore—the MECHANICAL BULL! Climb aboard, hold tight, and see how long ye can stay in the saddle. Challenge yer mates, test yer skill, and find out who among ye has the balance—and the courage—to conquer the beast!
🛍 A MARKETPLACE FULL OF TREASURE
Bring yer doubloons! Stroll through our bustling marketplace, where more than 75 vendors will be peddlin’ handcrafted treasures, artwork, gifts, clothing, tasty treats, curiosities, and all manner of fine wares.
🍗 PROVISIONS FOR HUNGRY PIRATES
Even the fiercest pirate can’t sail on an empty belly! Our food trucks and food vendors will be servin’ plenty of provisions for hungry crews throughout the day.
🚌 LEAVE YER SHIP BEHIND — WE’LL GIVE YE A LIFT!
Port Royal is conveniently located near the Port Royal Crossroads at the intersection of US 301 and US 17, home to our well-known local landmark, Horne’s Restaurant and Gifts.
A FREE SHUTTLE BUS will be running throughout the Festival, carrying visitors to and from Town Green. Park yer vessel, climb aboard the shuttle, and we’ll help get ye to the heart of the pirate action!
💰 HELP KEEP THE PIRATE FLEET AFLOAT!
Arrr, mateys! A festival this grand doesn’t happen without a mighty crew behind it! We still need sponsors and volunteers to help make the 7th Annual Port Royal Pirate Festival a success.
IT ISN’T TOO LATE TO JOIN OUR GROWING LIST OF SPONSORS!
Every contribution—whether it be treasure for the Festival coffers or a few hours of yer time—helps us create a memorable day for our visitors and, most importantly, helps us keep admission to the Port Royal Pirate Festival FREE!
PLATINUM SPONSORS
• Rappahannock Electric Cooperative
• Breezeline
• Caroline County Board of Supervisors – 250 Celebrations
GOLD SPONSORS
• Horne’s Restaurant and Gifts
• Giles-Jett Investment Group – Davenport Investments
SILVER SPONSOR
• The Port Royal Trading Post
BRONZE SPONSORS
• Mid-Atlantic Laboratories
• Caroline County Treasurer’s Office
• The Minnow Bucket Antiques
🏴☠️ VOLUNTEERS NEEDED — THERE’S STILL ROOM ABOARD!
Ye don’t need a chest full of doubloons to lend a hand! Volunteers are needed before the Festival to help prepare our historic town and Festival grounds, during the Festival itself, and afterward to help put Port Royal shipshape again.
Whether ye can spare a few hours helping with preparations, welcoming visitors, assisting during the event, or helping with cleanup, we’d be mighty grateful to have ye aboard!
Sponsors provide the treasure. Volunteers provide the muscle. Our community provides the heart. Together, ye keep the Port Royal Pirate Festival sailing!
⚓ COME ABOARD & BE PART OF THE FESTIVAL!
Whether ye wish to become a sponsor, volunteer yer time, lend a hand preparing our historic town, or simply learn more about the Festival, we’d be mighty glad to hear from ye!
CONTACT THE CREW
Port Royal Town Hall: 804-742-5331
Monica Chenault, Festival Coordinator: 540-907-9050
Email: [email protected]
FOLLOW OUR ADVENTURES ON FACEBOOK
Port Royal Virginia Pirate Page
Town of Port Royal
☠ DON’T BE A LANDLUBBER — COME ABOARD AND BE PART OF THE ADVENTURE!
So polish yer boots, straighten yer tricorn, gather the wee pirates, and chart yer course for Port Royal!
The pirates be gatherin’.
The mermaids be arrivin’.
The musicians be tunin’ their instruments.
The merchants be peddlin’ their treasures.
The bull be waitin’ for the bravest among ye.
The treasure chest be growin’.
And the cannons be ready to ROAR!
🏴☠️ WILL YE BE AMONG ’EM? 🏴☠️
7th Annual Port Royal Pirate Festival
Saturday, October 3, 2026 • 10:00 AM–6:00 PM
Town Green • 419 King Street • Port Royal, VA 22535
Near the Port Royal Crossroads at US 301 & US 17
Celebrating America’s 250th & Port Royal’s 282nd Birthday!
FREE ADMISSION • FREE SHUTTLE • FAMILY FUN • PIRATES APLENTY!
Fair winds and following seas, mateys. We’ll see ye in Port Royal!
Festival activities, performers, and times listed above are tentative and subject to change. Follow our pages for the latest Festival updates.
