Few characters in modern culture evoke the romance of the coastal seas more than pirates, and what better place to have the region's largest pirate festival than the former home of smugglers and renegades? The 17th annual Eastport Pirate Festival is returning with a bang, and pirates of all stripes and sizes will have plenty of activities to do from September 8 through 11.
      Returning this year are the popular Pirates of the Black Rose, who delighted crowds throughout the festival in its early years but have been on hiatus since. This crew sails in on the Must Roos, effectively bringing with them a high level of pirate professionalism. Their antics will be joined up and down Water Street by Longshanks, Captain Jack and Davey Jones himself.
      As in previous years, Bank Square will be transformed into the Tortuga Pirate Encampment, where pirates and aspiring pirates can get tattoos, learn how to use cutlasses and challenge each other at walking the plank, among various other activities throughout the festival.
      This year's festival will be joined by the U.S. Coast Guard icebreaker Thunder Bay, whose crew will participate in the games and activities and give ship tours to those interested.

Notable events
      Before the festival kicks off, a pre invasion of Lubec is held -- seeing pirates boating over from Eastport en masse on Saturday, September 3, and arriving on the shores of Lubec at 10 a.m. for a battle of water pistols and balloons. Join in the fun on either side.
      On Thursday, September 8, the festival begins in Eastport with a pirate masquerade and auction at the Eastport Welcome Center at 6 p.m., followed by a pirate pub crawl at 7 p.m.
      Friday, September 9, sees the first full day of the festival, with the official commencement huzzah and live black powder firing held at Tortuga Encampment at noon. With that, food vendors open and games immediately commence around the square. The afternoon is filled with pirating lessons, including whip demonstrations at 2 p.m., cutlass lessons for kids at 3 p.m. and cannon lessons and corset tying demonstrations at 4 p.m. At 7:30 p.m., the Pirate King and Queen will be judged and crowned by the Pirates of the Dark Rose.
      At 8:30 p.m. on Friday, Tortuga Encampment will come alive with the return of Ravenbane's Firecraft "whose fire performances are not to be missed," says Pirate Festival President Don Dunbar. Shortly afterward at 9 p.m., the Pirate Ball -- featuring the return of Pitch Black Ribbons --will begin in its new location on Sea Street.
      Along with a slew of early morning activities on Saturday -- including a 9:30 a.m. pirate puppet show at Tortuga Encampment -- Saturday is the day of the festival's Pirate Parade. All are welcome to join in with the muster starting at 12:30 p.m. at the elementary school and the parade starting at 1 p.m.
      From 2:30 to 4 p.m. on Saturday, a special event that promises to be fun to watch will be held: the Pirate Rum Barrel Relay Race. "This race is similar to the codfish relay, but you wear pirate gear and push a large wooden rum barrel down the street," Dunbar explains.
      Saturday will also see Ravenbane Firecraft's premier fantastic fire performance at Sutherland Amphitheater at 7:30 p.m., cannons fired at 8 p.m. and a grand fireworks show at 8:15 p.m.
      Sunday's events include Lubec's pirate invasion of Eastport, including a water balloon fight downtown at 10 a.m., the Navy band Northeast's brass quintet at Sutherland Amphitheater at noon and a lobster crate race at 3 p.m. at the breakwater.
      "This year we have had some wonderful people come on board to help with great ideas and energy to join the few who do so much to put this on every year," Dunbar says. "Much of this year's events are due to the hard work of those who have stepped up. A huge thank you to them!"
      For Dunbar, the highlight of the festival is being able to see children and their families joining in the event together. "I love being able to see a family walk up the street, from a two-year-old on up to a grandparent, all dressed in pirate outfits smiling and having so much fun."
      To see the full schedule of events, visit www.eastportpiratefestival.com. The Eastport Pirate Festival is put on entirely by donations. Send your contribution to: Eastport Pirate Festival, PO Box 142, Eastport, ME 04631.