St. Augustine Pirate Gathering

The 9th Annual St. Augustine Pirate Gathering invites everyone to participate in a weekend of pure piracy, with re-enactors, living historians, and casual pirates from all over the seven seas joining the Ancient City Privateers to celebrate the Golden Age of Piracy in the nation's oldest city. Visitors and locals are welcome to dress in their best pirate outfit or just "come as you are" to this full weekend of pirate mayhem, from Thursday to Sunday, November 3 to 6, 2016.

This popular event has outgrown its old venue, and will be held in 2016 at a site behind the St. Augustine Flea Market, with over 40 acres of room for more vendors, bigger battles, cannon and musket volleys after dark, and fire pits for BBQ throughout the weekend. Blackbeard's Refuge is located behind the St. Augustine Flea Market at 2493 S.R. 207, just east of I-95 at Exit 311.

The Pirate Gathering will feature a variety of events catered to adults and children. Live performances will be offered by pirate troupes. Guests can experience a pirate mutiny, weapons demonstrations, a sailors encampment, and the popular Thieves Market. There'll be stories of the high seas, and shanties to sing along with. Pirate magicians will be performing tricks and mermaids will lounge amongst landlubbers. There's even a children's play area.

The event is kicked off with a VIP/Sponsor Welcome Party is from 7:30 to 10 p.m. on Thursday, November 3, 2016. The activities over the weekend include a "Pirate Only" cruise on the Black Raven, a Kids Zone, and a Pirate Gathering King and Queen contest.

For the Buccaneer Bash Bar-B-Que on Friday, guests are welcome to dress up in their best pirate garb for a banquet with plenty to eat and drink, along with live entertainment. Live entertainment throughout the weekend will include performances by the Blue Lotus Bellydancers and live music by Scott Ramsey, the Beach Bum Pirate.

Admission: $5.00 for adults, $2.00 (a "buck-an-ear") for kids under 12. A VIP (Very Important Pirate) Pass is available for $95. which includes admission to the gathering field all three days as well as to all the parties, the "Pirate Only" cruise on the Black Raven, and a commemorative mug and t-shirt.

When: Thursday - Sunday, November 3 - 6, 2016.  Thursday (VIP night): 7:30 - 10 p.m. Friday: 1 - 10 p.m. Saturday: 10 a.m. - 10 p.m. Sunday: 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. 

Where: This year's Pirate Gathering will be headquartered at Blackbeard's Refuge at 2493 S.R. 207 in St. Augustine, FL 32086.

For the most current information on the Pirate Gathering, visit here.