Last weekend was one of our favorites of the year in Beaufort, NC. It’s such a great little place with some wonderfully weird annual traditions — like the Pirate Invasion! “Pirates” from all over the country come and set up these amazingly period campsites (canvas tents, cots, fires…) and dress up in perfectly authentic dress. Then they invade downtown Beaufort! There’s singing and cannon fire and sword fights and defending troops (also in period dress) marching down the streets. It’s something pretty amazing to behold — especially if you are an almost three-year-old that is pretty sure he’s a pirate.
He had to sleep in his clothes all weekend in case there was a pirate battle in the middle of the night, still won’t let me wash off his pirate tattoo and had all of his gear compulsively organized on his work bench and his “booty” stashed in a tackle box. Needless to say, he was pretty sad for the pirates to go and his life to return to normal.
Even as a grown-up it’s hard not to marvel at the lengths people go to go become pirates. (And wenches!) And I actually think there’s a lesson in that. There are some “pirates” who are also vendors, but, for the most part, these people just enjoy dressing up like this and traveling around. They place a very high price on their fun and leisure time and are willing to invest tons of energy because it’s something they love. (Though how anyone can suffer through those long pants, long sleeves and boots when it’s 90 degrees outside is beyond me…) I’m probably not going to become a pirate any time soon, but it’s always good to have a reminder to take time out to do things you enjoy! Whatever your upcoming weekend holds, I hope it’s great!
Photos via The Beaufort Pirate Invasion
Never heard of this before but sure sounds like a lot of fun! I remember pirate’s night on our last Disney Cruise and even if we were exhausted from all the day time adventures we had, we couldn’t resist playing along with Mickey and Capt. Hook and the gang! Aaaarrrgggh!