Pirate Events

(at which Bilgemunky will be performing)

Upcoming

• September 18th, 2010: BrethrenCon - Denver, Colorado, USA (Pirate DJ, Guest of Honor)
• October 8-10th, 2010: Fort Myers Beach Pirate Festival – Fort Myers Beach, Florida, USA (Pirate DJ)
• October 23-24th, 2010: Southern Pirate Festival – Columbus, Georgia, USA (Pirate DJ)
• November 13-14th, 2010: Saint Augustine Pirate Gathering – St. Augustine, Florida, USA (Pirate DJ)

Past

Below is a complete listing of public events (past AND future) Bilgemunky has attended/performed at. Events in Gold highlight Bilgemunky’s upcoming engagements, so mark your calendars! For a more complete listing of pirate events (even those that Bilgemunky has yet to be invited to), please check out No Quarter Given’s Events Page)

January

• Port Radisson Pirates Rendezvous – Sacramento, California, USA
  • DJ – 2010 (after action report)

Port Radisson features a unique blend of the convention and festival formats – taking place entirely in a hotel, it’s a great opportunity to party in semi-privacy with your fellow pirates. But daytime activities are largely open to the public, so the natural performers have plenty of opportunity to “arrr” for the crowds!

Febuary

• Chicago Maritime Festival – Chicago, Illinois, USA
  • Featured Speaker – 2008
  • Featured Speaker – 2009

A fanstastic festival for any and all interested in the more historical, nautical aspect of things. Although my own contribution did stray a bit as I hosted a multi-media presentation exploring the exolution of PirateCore music, from Ben Franklin through Captain Dan and beyond.

• Reenactorfest – Wheeling, Illinois, USA
  • DJ – 2009 (after action report)

A very fun, if not exclusively piratey event. Perfect for the pirate reenactor who wants a chance to pirate-it-up in comfort despite the lousy weather outside. Share a drink with WWII soldiers, Roman Centurians, stodgy Victorians, and all sorts of other time periods.

March

• NOLA Pyrate Week – New Orleans, Louisiana, USA
  • Attendee – 2009

An opportunity to support worthy charities by day, and party like pirates by night. NOLA Pyrate Week raised a reported $10,000 in ’09, and featured all sorts of pirate excitement for its attendees.

April

• PyrateCon – New Orleans, Louisiana, USA
  • Attendee – 2007
  • Attendee – 2008
  • DJ – 2009

It’s had its share of issues behind (and before) the scenes, but PyrateCon represents some of the greatest weekends I’ve ever experienced. The convention was cancelled in 2009, but efforts are underway to restart it at some point. Time will tell.

• Fells Point Privateer Day – Baltimore, Maryland, USA
  • Attendee – 2010 (after action report)

For me, there’s something extra-magical about an event that takes place in a historic downtown district – especially one that has plenty of pirate-friendly bars. Thanks to the participation of Pirates Magazine and the Devil’s Dozen Induction Ceremonies, 2010 was flooded with pirates from across the nation, and it made for a fantastic weekend-long pirate party.

May

June

• Northern California Pirate Festival – Vallejo, California, USA
  • Special Guest – 2007
  • Special Guest – 2008
  • DJ – 2009 (after action report)
  • DJ – 2010 (after action report)

I just love this festival – and so do thousands of others. By basic description they sound much like any other “faire” type festival – but when you factor in top-quality food, first rate pirate entertainers, and the best selection of quality pirate vendors, it’s really something to behold. This is no “pirate themed” renfaire, this is a pirate faire through and through!

July

August

• Michigan Pirate Festival – Grand Haven, Michigan, USA
  • DJ – 2009

Very small, but all heart. I don’t recommend traveling cross-country for this one, but if you’re in the neighborhood it’s not to be missed. With only 6 or 7 vendors and a couple of acts, you’ll burn through it quickly, but the quality of the offerings puts many larger festivals to shame.

• “Seize the Bay” Festival - Green Bay, Wisconsin, USA
  • DJ – 2010

This was my first year attending Seize the Bay, but they had some fine entertainment lined up (myself, of course. But also Bounding Main and Rakshanda.) Definitely a developing event, it was a bit on the small side but nicely coincided with the Green Bay Tall Ship’s challenge and all the tall ship glory that entailed.

September

• BrethrenCon – Denver, Colorado, USA
  • Guest of Honor/DJ – 2010

If there’s on thing I firmly believe, it’s that piracy needs more true conventions – as in venues closed from the public so pirates can get together and exchange ideas, experiences, and fashion tips while swilling rum proper. They’ve been a festival for 3 years, but his is their first as a con.  I can’t wait for this one!

• St. Louis Pirate Festival – St. Louis, Missouri, USA
  • Attendee – 2007
  • Attendee – 2008
  • Attendee – 2009 (after action report)

A very decent pirate festival. Its structure isn’t much different than a pirate-themed renaissance faire, but it does still boast plenty of pirate games and entertainment, an occasional pirate act of note, and a few high-end pirate vendors. My only concern is that it’s really pretty much the same from one year to the next, with little that’s new by way of vendors or entertainment.

• Mariner’s Museum Talk Like a Pirate Day Event – Newport News, Virginia, USA
  • Featured Speaker/Rum Expert – 2009

The Mariner’s Museum decided to celebrate Talk Like a Pirate Day with a pirate encampment, pirate games and contests, and to top it all off, a rum-tasting hosted by yours truly. Beginning with a multi-media presentation on the history of rum and it’s relationship with piracy, we then proceeded to enjoy four different rums representing different distillation methods and flavor profiles.

October

• Southern Pirate Festival – Columbus, Georgia, USA
  • DJ – 2010

This will be my first time attending this festival, but with the combined forces of the Pirates of the Chattahoochee, the Cursed Few, and the Cutthroat Titans, it’s bound to be a powerhouse of piracy. Plus, they have that whole, Halloween-season Dead Pirates Ball thing going, which sounds likely to be a hotbed of decomposing villainy (yes, that means fun!)

November

• Saint Augustine Pirate Gathering – St. Augustine, Florida, USA
  • DJ – 2010

I don’t know much yet to say about this event as I’ve never been. But St. Augustine is clearly one of the ground zero locations of piracy – great history, pirate businesses, and a long running pirate festival. I’ve no doubt it will be a fantastic weekend, and I hope to meet up with lots of fellow pirates while there!

December

• Pirates in Paradise – Key West, Florida, USA
  • Attendee – 2007

Smaller than I’d expected, but also the coolest and truest pirate “reenactment” event I’ve ever seen. And nothing beats the afterparties at night – never in your life will you experience a more authentic, emmersive pirate tavern experience!