Avast ye, Villagers! This old salt has some news for you. Mark this on your calendar because this is a bit of a lesser known Orillia happening that occurs over Labour Day Weekend. While this kicks off at the end of August, I’m giving you a full month to hit the thrift stores for the best historial-inspired outfit and the party store for an eye patch. This event is awesome for kids…and not going to lie, for grown ups too. It’s the Pirate Party!
We were able to check it out last year and it’s on our calendar for this year. Just walking along the Port of Orillia is fun and interesting. There are pirate ships in the harbour complete with skull and crossbone flags waving in the wind! There are vendors straight out of the Golden Age. Last year, there was a scavenger hunt that prompted pirates of all ages to check out the various stores downtown to receive a stamp on their passport in hopes of winning a prize.
Don’t be a scallywag. You haven’t lived until you have given no quarter and pushed a traitor off the plank. There are historical reenactments and people walking the plank. There are fencing, tactical and artillery, and blacksmith demonstrations. There are costumed participants galore as well as some awesome live music.
August 31-September 2, 2024 is the Pirate Party happening at the Port of Orillia- 50 Centennial Drive, Orillia, ON. It is FREE to attend and check out, but there are lots of shops and vendors to visit along the way. There are clean bathrooms at the Port, as the boardwalk and walking trails are wheelchair and stroller accessible. It’s a swashbuckling good time. For full schedule and details, please visit: https://www.orillia.com/pirate-party.
If you can’t wait until the end of the month for pirate fun, here are some things you can do this August to match the pirate theme:
- Bury your own treasure for someone else to find ( aka plant a geocache and upload the coordinates to a geocaching app or website)
- Find someone else’s treasure doing the same thing!
- Go on a scavenger hunt with your family. There are many free printables online to match any theme- outdoors, nature, city, indoor…you name it, someone else has already thought of it and did the work for you!
- Have a Pirates of the Caribbean movie marathon on a rainy day
- Walk the plank off the end of the dock or diving board
Do you know a pirate super fan? Make sure to let them know about the Pirate Party! And let us know if you and your family check it out!
