PANAMA CITY BEACH — The annual Pirate of the High Seas festival returns to Panama City’s beach with a new Renaissance festival, promising a fun weekend for the whole family.
The 12th annual festival will set sail Oct. 7 at Pier Park and invite pirate enthusiasts to online and in-person activities, and add a virtual pirate costume contest, in-person and online scavenger hunt, parades, live music, fireworks and Renaissance vendors through Oct. 9.
Organized through Visit Panama City Beach, the three-day festival celebrates the legacy of the pirates who once roamed the Gulf of Mexico and plundered the Costa Smeralda, telling the story of Dominique Youx and his band of unwavering buccaneers through battles and staged pirate tales.
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This is a free, family-friendly festival, and attendees are encouraged to come dressed in their pirate gear.
“We are thrilled to host this year’s Pirates of the High Seas Fest with the exciting arrival of the Renaissance Festival,” said Dan Rowe, president and CEO of Visit Panama City Beach. “This is one of our most fun and exclusive fall occasions. “here in ‘REAL. Fun. BEACH’ and we have a fun pirate and medieval-themed adventure program for families. “
As the festival has grown particularly over time, the addition of the Renaissance Festival has been key to the expansion of the event. Visit PCB’s head of operations and special occasions, Patrick Stewart, said the festival has attracted about 20,000 attendees in the past.
The Renaissance Festival will take place all 3 days in Aaron Bessant Park with many activities for the whole family. Organizers said visitors can expect everything from live mermaids, stilt walkers, chimney jugglers, magicians, dancers, vendors, food trucks and more. of Renaissance-themed activities.
“We have to bring the Renaissance component to the festival this year to expand it even further, it will be focused on all things renaissance and we hope everyone has the opportunity to revel in it,” Stewart said.
The festivities will begin on Friday afternoon with the inauguration of the Village Festival
Also on Friday, the opening ceremonies and Treasure Drop will take place on the center stage, with live music through the Bryne Brothers performing a while later. Then, to conclude the first day, fireworks will be launched from the Russell-Fields City pier. .
The occasion continues Saturday morning, starting with the Pirates of the High Seas 5K run/walk at Frank Brown Park, 16200 Panama City Beach Parkway. The Festival Village and the Petit Pirate game domain will be available all day for children.
Saturday musical performances through The Mead Sisters
Other activities include: entertainment at the Pirate Pub, a pirate invasion and the Battle of Panama City Beach, a fireworks display and the grand parade presented through Dominique Youx’s Krewe, Bay County’s oldest Mardi Gras organization.
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Concerts and more laughter are planned for Sunday as the festival concludes its celebrations.
Throughout the day, the Festival Village entertainment domain and Little Pirates will be available to children, Fire Circus Productions will feature live entertainment and more live music from Captain Davy.
In addition, visitors will have the opportunity to battle through the treasure hunt for the chance to win tickets to the SkyWheel Panama City Beach attraction.
The Pirates of the High Seas festival began as a block party in July 2010 with the beach ball falling to help attract visitors after the BP oil spill in 2010. The following year, Columbus Day weekend was moved to the annual festival. This is now.
Jayna Leach, senior vice president of marketing for Visit Panama City Beach, said it has grown since then and expects continued expansion over the years.
“With the popularity of pirates and all the facets of entertainment that we come with year after year, we expect them to continue to grow over time,” L said. “We love seeing all of our visitors come to dress up again and again and participate in all the weekend entertainment and look forward to this year’s celebrations. “
For more information about the Pirates of the High Seas festival