Tybee Island “Pirate Fest”

Written by Arianna Leone. Photos by Arianna Leone.

If you happen to find yourself at Tybee Island during October, you might question why pirates have taken over the island. Don’t worry; they aren’t here to steal your treasure; they are here to experience Tybee’s annual Pirate Fest! The Pirate Fest has been happening for about twenty years and lasts for three days every October. Like a renaissance faire you’ll see people with the coolest, well put together costumes, delicious food, and have many events to enjoy. “Being able to get everyone with a similar interest together is always a fun time.” a guest said.
Some of the events included the King and Queen introduction ceremony, the Pixie dust aerial show, costume contests, and many musical performances. They even have stuff for kids, like bouncy slides, face painting, and a mermaid meet-up. One event I was able to see was the
Pirate Parade filled with so many creative floats and goodies handed out. There are plenty of vendors, too, where you can buy a lot of handmade items and pirate-related trinkets.
So many people have fun and get really into character, like the Pirate Storyteller I met, who explained why he and his crew stopped here. “I get to meet all my brethren here. We’ve got many, many captains and some other crew members, and they love to have a good time.”
Whether people went all out and created stories to go with their costumes or simply dressed up to have fun with their friends, everyone at Pirate Fest embraced the theme and enjoyed their time at Tybee.