Plymouth Barbican Pirate Weekend

Plymouth Pirate Weekend Saturday 18th to Sunday 19th May 2024

Enjoy swashbuckling two days of fun inspired by the high seas as Pirates Weekend returns on 18 and 19 May 2024, with plenty of activities for the whole family to enjoy across the waterfront!

Full Details See: https://www.visitplymouth.co.uk/whats-on/plymouth-pirates-weekend-p1365003

Plymouth Pirate Weekend Saturday 20th to Sunday 21st May 2023

Enjoy swashbuckling two days of fun inspired by the high seas as Pirates Weekend Plymouth returns on 20 and 21 May 2023, with plenty of activities for the whole family to enjoy!

Full Details See: https://www.visitplymouth.co.uk/whats-on/plymouth-pirates-weekend-p1365003

Get your Jolly Rogers, eye patches and treasure maps at the ready for the return of Pirates Weekend on Saturday 20 and Sunday 21 May 2023. Explore a treasure trove of free activities across the Barbican, Sutton Harbour and waterfront for all of the family to fall in love with.

The event, run by Plymouth Waterfront Partnership Business Improvement District (PWP BID), offers an impressive line-up of FREE entertainment including pirate storytelling, tall ships, demonstrations of canon and musket firing, mermaid encounters, stilt walkers, arts and crafts activities, face painting and appearances from lovable rogue, Captain Jack Sparrow.

New for this year is the expansion of the event into West Hoe Park and Royal William Yard.  At West Hoe Park there will be pirate shows at 11.30am and 2.30pm. There’s also a whole host of Pirate fun at Royal William Yard from 10am to 3pm with face painting, children’s crafts, shanty bands and the opportunity to make sea biscuits.

At Commercial Wharf a Seafood BBQ and family shows will add extra magic to the weekend. There will also be an evening fancy dress party at Boathouse Café from 6pm on Saturday 20 May with live music from ‘The Busketeers’.

Two tall ships, the Pilot Cutter Olga and the 19^th century Pilgrim of Brixham, will also be docked alongside Quay Square and visitors are welcome to hop aboard and explore the ships for free.

Jon Walton, CEO of Plymouth Waterfront Partnership said: “We’re absolutely delighted to be expanding the hugely popular Pirates Weekend this year to West Hoe Park and Royal William Yard. The event encourages thousands of visitors to enjoy our beautiful waterfront and experience all the thrills that the high seas have to offer.

“Waterfront businesses love to get involved too, with amazing window displays and lots of fancy dress, which is actively encouraged. Bring the whole family for a great day out and I’d urge you to please show your support for our local shops, cafes, pubs and restaurants, without whom this event would not be possible.”

This year, fourteen talented local shanty bands will be performing in the waterfront throughout the weekend to entertain the crowds. A number of the bands will also be performing in nearby pubs after the main event has finished for the day, between 4pm and 7pm, on Saturday 20 May at various locations in the waterfront. Visit Plymouth has full details.

There will be a chill-out zone in the garden area at the entrance to Basket Ope and a green space picnic area at Commercial Place, which will provide accessible calmer spaces for visitors to retreat to if they need it.

The event is supported by Plymouth Active as Official Entertainment sponsor, Barbican Botanics as Tall Ship sponsor, Sutton Harbour Group and Great Western Railway (GWR) as Official Travel Partner of Pirates Weekend.

For all the latest information about Pirates Weekend, please visit: visitplymouth.co.uk/plympiratesweekend or the Plymouth Waterfront Partnership Facebook page.

Plymouth Pirate Weekend Saturday 7th to Sunday 8th May 2022

Get your Jolly Rogers, eye patches and treasure maps at the ready for the return of Plymouth Pirates Weekend on 7 and 8 May 2022.

The beloved family event will be back and in full-swing for the first time since 2019, with the last two year’s events having been held virtually due to the pandemic.

With plenty of ocean-themed entertainment, tall ships, a treasure trail and live music, family members of all ages are set to enjoy a rip-roaring weekend on The Barbican and Sutton Harbour.

The event, run by Plymouth Waterfront Partnership Business Improvement District (PWP BID), offers an impressive line-up of FREE entertainment including pirate puppet shows and storytelling, demonstrations of canon and musket firing, mermaid encounters, stilt walkers, arts and crafts activities, face painting and appearances from lovable rogue, Captain Jack Sparrow.

Two tall ships, the three-masted Grayhound and the topsail schooner Johanna Lucretia, will also be docked alongside Quay Square and visitors are welcome to hop aboard and explore the ships for free.

Nick Buckland OBE, Chair of PWP, said: “We’re absolutely delighted to be bringing our hugely popular Pirates Weekend back this year, in-person. The event encourages thousands of visitors to enjoy our beautiful Waterfront and experience all the thrills that the high seas have to offer.

“Waterfront businesses love to get involved too, with amazing window displays and lots of fancy dress, which is actively encouraged. Bring the whole family for a great day out and I’d urge you to please show your support for our local shops, cafes, pubs, restaurants and accommodation providers after such a difficult couple of years, and without whom this event would not be possible.”

This year, ten talented local shanty bands will be performing at different locations throughout the weekend to entertain the crowds. A number of the bands will also be performing in nearby pubs after the main event has finished for the day, between 4pm and 6pm, on Saturday 7 May.

On Sunday 8 May, award-winning circus company, Pirates of the Carabina, and Barbican Theatre will present a family-friendly circus show, ‘Pirate Taxi’ on Commercial Wharf. The show takes place in, on and around an old-school London taxi and features extraordinary aerial performances plus hula-hooping, acrobatics and juggling.

Also new for this year is a chill-out zone in the garden area at the entrance to Basket Ope and a green space picnic area at Commercial Place, which will provide accessible calmer spaces for visitors to retreat to if they need it.

The event has been supported by Great Western Railway, Official Travel Partner of Plymouth Pirates Weekend, offering a traffic free journey if you plan to visit from further afield.

For all the latest information about Plymouth Pirates Weekend, please visit: visitplymouth.co.uk/plympiratesweekend or the Plymouth Waterfront Partnership Facebook page.

Plymouth Pirate Weekend 2021 – (virtual) 

Plymouth Pirate Weekend Saturday 9th to Sunday 10th May 2020 (VIRTUAL)

Ohhh arrr! The pirates are coming to Plymouth! This award winning family event attracts thousands of visitors and locals eager to join in with the festivities, listen to shanties, dance and enjoy the entertainment on offer. A  range of pirate themed ales will also be on offer across the Barbican pubs during the weekend.

The Plymouth Pirate Weekend has been successfully running since 2011 and year on year it proved to be very popular with the visitors and locals enjoying the free events on offer.

FULL Details: https://www.visitplymouth.co.uk/whats-on/top-events/pirates-weekend-plymouth

Pirate Weekend Plymouth 2020

Due to the current lockdown, Pirates Weekend Plymouth will be held digitally for 2020.

There’s lots of digital pirate themed activities suitable for the whole family including competitions, quizzes and music as well as entertainment during Pirates weekend on Saturday 9 and Sunday 10 May.

Activities

There’ll be family friendly activities on the new Pirates Weekend Plymouth microsite, launching on Monday 4 May. Content will include quizzes, recipes, videos, VR experiences and competitions. Some highlight activities which we’ll be sharing will include:

• Pirate-themed worksheets will be shared with school children across Plymouth
• We’ll be running a Facebook competition for ‘best pirate wanted poster’ for children to create and submit from home
• Listen to our Pirate Weekend Spotify playlist including music from the ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’ films and Shanty favourites to enjoy the atmosphere of Pirates Weekend Plymouth at home
• ‘Best dressed pirate’ competition encouraging people to dress up and share photos of their fancy dress on social media
• An indoor selfie scavenger hunt activity for the whole family

See the full Pirate Weekend Plymouth microsite here…

Share Your Pirate Weekend Plymouth Memories

Keep the spirit of Pirate Weekend Plymouth alive, show us your photos from previous years! Use the hashtag #PiratesWeekendPlymouth we’ve love to see them!

Pirate Weekend Plymouth 2019

Pirate Weekend Plymouth 2018

Plymouth Pirate Weekend 2017

PHOTOS: Plymouth Pirate Weekend 2016

Photos from the weekend by Scott Grenney and One Plymouth photographer Jason Kiely who was covering the event for One Plymouth a website dedicated to celebrating the #BestOfPlymouth.

Details for 2016

News:Details about Plymouth Pirate Weekend 2016

Events on Saturday 14th and Sunday 15th May 2016

This is one annual event NOT to be missed! :).

PHOTOS: Plymouth Pirate Weekend 2015

Photos from the weekend by Scott Grenney and One Plymouth photographer Jason Kiely who was covering the event for One Plymouth a website dedicated to celebrating the #BestOfPlymouth.

Plymouth Barbican Pirate Weekend 2015

Did you know Plymouth’s Pirate Weekend also once a Visit Devon Tourism Award!

During this year’s Plymouth Pirates Weekend keep an eye out for:

• The Pirates of St Piran
• Board the tall ship Phoenix moored up in Sutton Harbour
• Street entertainment from tall stilt walking pirates, Yo Yo Yo Pirate Puppet show to Melody Mermaid and more.
• Activates including digging for treasure, making pirate outfits and enrolling in mermaid school and more!
• Competitions for the whole family and prizes to be won. See the Visit Plymouth Pirate Weekend Page for more details…
• Pirate themed boat trips are also available if you pre book (see poster below)
• See Timings and Schedules for Plymouth Pirate Weekend (PDF file)
• News Post 15th May 2015 – Update on Weekend of Pirate Family Fun on the Barbican & Sutton Harbour

More details to be announced once they are released!

Plymouth Barbican Pirate Weekend 2014

** Click here to view Plymouth Pirate Weekend 2014 Photos… **

Each year the Plymouth Pirate Weekend grows and in 2014 we are looking forward to a HUGE celebration of all things pirate! Grab a cutlass, slap on an eye patch and race down to the Barbican over the 10-11th May!

The Plymouth Council Events team have now released the full schedules for the 10-11th May 2014 pirate weekend!

Feast your eyes on…

• Plymouth Pirate Weekend – Saturday 10th May 2014 Schedule
• Plymouth Pirate Weekend – Sunday 11th May 2014 Schedule

This year expect to see…

+ Both children and adults dressed up in all things pirate! Each year the Barbican is swamped with people wearing all sorts of costumes. If you are not dressed up you’ll feel the odd one out ! 😉
+ Step aboard the Tall Ship “The Phoenix” for free! – Open throughout the weekend
+ Keep an eye out for Jonty Depp aka Captain Sparrow! He’ll be roaming around he crowds all weekend
+ Entertainers around the Barbican including: The Half Pint Pirates, Bell and Bullock stilt walking pirates, The Medieval Society, Stiltskin Pirate Professors Tick and Tock, Circo Rum Ba Ba Stilt walking Pirate Ship, sirens and seahorses!
+ Top demonstrations including: Live musket firing, Weapons / Sword fighting, Mock Execution
+ Hear about life in the Royal Navy and Marines in the 18th Century
+ Treat your ears to the shouts of sea shanties at various times over the weekend
+ Feast your eyes on the Renaissance Historical Dance Society
+ The popular Yo Ho Ho Pirate Puppet Show (by Cap’n Jaspers)
+ Make your own sea creatures at the Mermaid School
+ Children’s fancy dress competition
+ The Tourist Information Centre will have an array of pirate swords and more available to buy
+ Take part in the Treasure Trail and collect your treasure – See the Tourist Information Centre for details and map.

+ Keep an eye out for our Barbican Waterfront Volunteer Media team (We’ll be wearing blue hi – Vis Vests) throughout the weekend capturing the event on camera and via social media including Facebook: www.facebook.com/plymouthbarbican, Twitter: @plymbarbican.

Be sure to use tag #Plymouthpirates during the weekend :).

And… There is more! Phew! Pop down and see the Plymouth Pirate Weekend 10-11th May 2014. A treat for the kids and adults too 🙂

Note: Plymouth Pirate Weekend is brought to you by the Plymouth City Council, Destination Plymouth, Plymouth Waterfront Partnership (PWP) and Sutton Harbour

Plymouth Barbican Pirate Weekend 2013 – Photos

– Pirate Weekend 2013 – Day 2 – Photos by Mike Pitches [log into Facebook to view]
– Pirate Weekend 2013 – Day 2 – Photos by Leigh Acton

What was on offer during the 2013 pirate weekend…

{ Click to view the complete timetable for the pirate weekend }

+ The tall ship The Bessie Ellen, will be moored in Sutton Harbour for the weekend giving visitors the chance to board her and explore the ship for free. Open Saturday & Sunday: 10am – 4pm.
+ There will be many groups walking around in full pirate costume throughout the weekend. Children and parents are encourage to dress up in all things Pirate! As a number of activities will be taking place across the Plymouth Barbican during the Pirate weekend between 10am – 4pm Saturday & Sunday.
+ Be prepared to see re-enactment displays, stilt walkers, demonstrations (including sword fighting and interactive craft workshops), face painting, a treasure trail and a best dressed pirate competition with some great prizes for under 16’s, judged at 3pm each day at The Bessie Ellen! Children (under 16) in pirate fancy dress will have the chance to win a year’s family pass to the National Marine Aquarium, Plymouth Theatre Royal and a cuddy toy. Phew… 🙂
+ Captain Jack Sparrow lookalike, Jonty Depp will be seen on Saturday making mischief amidst the crowds on the Barbican.
+ On Sunday Jacko Sparro will be there to entertain crowds.
+ Cap’n Jaspers will be handing out free A3 full colour treasure maps for the kids, which will take them around the Barbican looking for clues. They’ll be free of charge and available all weekend direct from Cap’n Jaspers.

+ Mobile Photography Studio – Soperfect Images will have a mobile studio setup. Grab a photo to take home on the day 🙂

Galleries from Plymouth Barbican Pirate Days Weekend 2012

– View Mike Pitches gallery of 377 photos taken during the Plymouth Barbican Pirate Days Weekend
– Steve Dudfield’s gallery of Barbican Pirate Days 2012.

Plymouth Pirate Days 2012

Details from the Plymouth Pirate Days Weekend in May 2012:

After a highly successful 2011, Plymouth Pirate Days is on course for 2012!

• Tall Ship Matthew will be berthed in Sutton Harbour for the weekend with a chance to go on board her to explore.
• The Matthew will be open from 10am – 4pm on the Saturday and Sunday, with a small donation to The Matthew required to board the ship.
• The Plymouth Waterfront Partnership will be putting on a packed programme of entertainment over the weekend.
• There will be lots of swashbuckling activates for everyone to join in.
• Expect to see re-enactment displays, smugglers ‘splicing’ demonstrations and storytelling.
• Competition for the best dress pirate for under 16’s to be judged at 3pm each day on the Matthew.
• Children in pirate fancy dress will receive free entry to the National Marine Aquarium over the weekend.
• A Captain Jack Sparrow lookalike will be dashing through the crowds.
• Activities on the Barbican will run from 10am – 5pm on Saturday 26 and Sunday 27 May. For a full programme of activities taking place on each day, check the information point at The Matthew.

Keep an eye on this page for the latest information on Plymouth Pirate Days 2012.

– View list of all the posts on the Barbican Waterfront Website regarding Plymouth Pirate Days

Plymouth Pirate Day 2011

Plymouth Pirate Days expanded to cover the whole weekend of May 21st-22nd 2011. Hundreds of locals and tourists descend on the Barbican and surrounding areas to take part in a celebration of all things pirate! ohh arr!

Visitors enjoyed listening to live bands, watching various dance groups, sword fighting and musket firing demos, spotting a Captain Jack Sparrow lookalike and more with entertainment for children and adults later in the evening, including pirate themed real ales being sold within local pubs. (see leaflet above for full details and times of the Barbican wide events)

– View details of the events around the HMS Bounty & Barbican Pirate Days
– View list of all the posts on the Barbican Waterfront Website regarding Plymouth Pirate Days

• The HMS Bounty sailed into Plymouth on the 20th-22nd May 2011. The ship was built for the 1962 movie “Mutiny on the Bounty” and has appeared in Disney’s Pirates and the Caribbean films. Visitors boarded the ship and took part in pirate theme activities. The HMS Bounty was opened 10am-4pm Fri, Sat, Sun. £7 Adults, £3 children. Children under 5 boarded for free.
• The National Marine Aqaurium offered free entry to any child dressed up as a Pirate on the weekend of the 21st / 22nd May
• The 20th, 40th, 60th visitors to Beryl the Plymouth Tour Bus each received a free signed Larry the Pirate book.
• Jackas Bakery Britian’s oldest commerical Bakery, asked youngsters to drop into the Southside Street baker and pay 50p to come up with a name for the ship and its parrot. The chosen winner got to keep this amazing pirate cake.
• Pubs, Restaurants and many of the shops across the Barbican joined in the Pirate fun by dressing up in Pirate customes. A number of pubs supplied pirate themed ales and specialised rum menus. The Admiral MacBride offered pirate themed rum based pitchers perfect for any Pirate.
• Photos of HMS Bounty as she Sails into the Barbican Harbour

Plymouth Pirate Day 2011 – Images & Summary of the Weekend May 21st – 22nd

– Plymouth Pirate Days 2011 – Galleries 100’s of Photographs from the days events
– Plymouth Pirate Weekend 2011 – Mike Pitches – Part 1
– Plymouth Pirate Weekend 2011 – Mike Pitches – Part 2
– Barbican Waterfront – Gallery 2011
– Cap’n Jaspers – Gallery 2011
– Photos of HMS Bounty entering the Barbican Harbour

Pirate Day piece written by Nick Ingram (on Facebook / Twitter)

They came to the Barbican, on the 21st and 22nd of May, for some pirate family fun, to put a bit of arrrr… in Plymouth, and the place was covered in them Pirates it was. There was tall pirates, small pirates, big pirates, young pirates, old pirates, and even some saucy sea dog who was calling himself Jack Sparrow, although we may have to doubt his authenticity, staggering around the gathered crew and ship mates.

Along side the quay, opposite the Cider Press, stood the majestic tall ship HMS Bounty, the star of Disney’s nice little epic pirate fest Pirates Of The Caribbean II, who is now on a full European Tour. It would seem that a certain amount of pirates and land lubbers had a great time climbing over the ships rigging and decks. Although disappointingly there was never any sign of a mutiny. It is obvious that the captain of HMS Bounty gives out superior rations of rum to crew.

Over the space of the two days it has been a myriad of pirate activity, and not all of it has been connected with the drinking of a pirate’s favourite Jamaican tipple. Firstly all the young pirates and those who had just been pressed ganged staged a competition to see who was the dandiest smuggler. Prizes were given to the best. There was also Pirate Story telling which kept these trainees enraptured with tales of daring do on the high seas. It is hoped, when these pirates, are experienced enough that their own adventures will become infamous enough to be told in tales.

For the more mature, experienced pirates, among us, but maybe not old enough just yet for a peg leg or a blind, the most interesting sea faring instruction was given on the subject of Splicing, the Personal Kit of the Royal Navy Seaman, along with the customs of Royal Navy’s etiquette of Officer Gentlemen Manner of sitting at table and dining. From which a point of view can be taken that the natural enemies of the pirate, those rap scallions of the Royal Navy tend to live better then most pirates. Although a note of caution must be shown that sometimes the Royal Navy is just not very good at capturing old lusty sea dogs that we are arrrrr.

Also, there have been some wonderful feats of arms with a drill and musket display, along with a smuggler’s cutlass sword fight, which showed some swarthy brigands that a smuggler is a force to be reckoned with when armed with a sword. Bu at the end of the day all was set well with a rousting sing-along of smugglers and pirate songs which set the scene for the rest of the evening as the rest of the remaining pirates retired to the bar to continue carousing in to the night. After, of course, all the new recruits had been put to bed.

For the past two days of pirate mayhem and plunder we only have to thank not only the organiser, David Saunders, who is also Jack Ringer Plymouth’s Town Crier, but also Plymouth Waterfront Partnership, Sutton Harbour Marina, and the Association Of Barbican Businesses for their participation. However a special thanks has to go to the Captain and Crew of HMS Bounty for making Plymouth Pirate Day’s such a resounding success. Rum and grog all around for all of them.

We hope that next year will be a bigger and better Pirate Day. It would seem though that this years event was an all round resounding success. Shiver-me-timbers Shipmates, never has a finer bunch of Pirates been seen on the Plymouth Barbican.

Links: Plymouth Pirate Days 2012 Facebook Group *latest news*
Plymouth Pirate Days 2011 Facebook Group