| Where: | Whitby, North Yorkshire at the Bandstand and around the town |
| When: | Last weekend in August |
| Time: | Friday from 7pm, Saturday and Sunday all day from 10 am |
Pirate Festivals are a relatively modern and growing phenomenon, and can be found all around the country, many at seaside locations as you might imagine but also in landlocked places as far from the briny as you can get! You can expect pretty privateers, brave buccaneers and fabulous freebooters in elaborate costumes, some following the trends set in the Pirates of the Caribbean series of movies (and if you’re lucky you may spot a Captain Jack Sparrow lookalike, or even some mermaids among the salty sea-dogs). These events are largely held over the summer holiday season and the well established festival held at the end of August at Whitby has been running for twenty years, raising money for the RNLI, so if you have any Pieces of Eight to spare there are bucket collections on the day. They’re family friendly events suitable for all ages, and often feature a host of entertainments. At Whitby there are Morris dancers, shanty singers, best-dressed pirate competitions (fiercely contested), photo sessions, redcoat soldiers, opportunities to mingle with mermaids, story telling and the Hoist the Colours ceremony with lots of Jolly Roger waving. There’s plenty for landlubbers to enjoy on shore, or you can take to the high seas in the Black Pearl for sailing experience- don’t forget to pack your cutlass and wooden leg.
Helpful Hints
In 2025 the Whitby event should be on Friday 29th to Sunday 31st August- follow the links below for the full schedule ( and see link further below for other similar events around the country).
Click here for the event website: https://www.whitbypiratefestival.co.uk
and Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/whitbypiratefestival
Other UK festivals may be found at : https://www.facebook.com/PirateFestivals
International Talk Like a Pirate Day is held annually on 19th September.
