The Eastport Pirate Festival. Photo courtesy of Billy Kitchen

The 2017 Eastport Pirate Festival schedule is full of the classic events which have made it famous as one of the best coastal events in Downeast Maine. The merry-making kicks off on September 2nd with a friendly invasion of the neighboring lobster village of Lubec and continues on the 7th, 8th, 9th and 10th of September in Eastport.  Below are highlights of this year’s Pirate Festival schedule.

The Eastport Pirate Festival Schedule 2017

Saturday, September 2nd – Friendly Invasion of Lubec

8:00 a.m. – Invasion prep at the Chowder House, complete with pirate grog, bloodies and mimosas.

9:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. – Pirate invasion of Downtown Lubec by water, land and air. Fundy Breeze Boat Charters and Pier Pressure are both offering invasion trips (call 207-853-2500207-853-4660 or  respectively for tickets).

9:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. – Lubec pirate day with food and art vendors and pirate-themed festivities.

Thursday, September 7th

7:00 – 10:00 p.m. – Pirate Social at the Welcome Center.

Friday, September 8th 

1:30 p.m. – Pirate Whale Watch Cruise on thePier Pressure, Eastport Windjammers (call 207-853-2500 for tickets).

4:00 p.m. – Learn pirating ‘tricks of the trade’  at the Amphitheater.

4:00 –8:00 p.m. – Entertainment from ‘The One Man Band’ at Waco Dining Room

5:00 – 6:00p.m. – Kids can meet Rockin’ Ron the Friendly Pirate at Bank Square

8:00 – 8:30 p.m. – Pirate King and Queen contest in front of the stage.

8:30 – 9:00 p.m. – A firecraft performance at the Amphitheater

9:00 p.m. – close – Pirate Ball at the Chowder House, with DJ’s, dancing and a costume competition.  There will also be a Skallies and Scoundrels Dance party at the Happy Crab.

The judging of Eastport’s best dressed businesses and homes will also take place throughout the morning and afternoon. There will be live music throughout the afternoon.

Saturday, September 9th

6:00 a.m. – 11:00 am – A variety of hearty breakfast options will be available, from steak and eggs at the Waco Dining Room and pastries at Moose Island Bakery to a 2nd Saturday Breakfast at Christ Church on Key Street.

9:00 a.m. – Suddy 5K Run/Walk and 1 Mile Fun Run for Kids. Starts next to Bangor Savings Bank on High Street. Registration from 8 a.m. at Shed High School.  At 9:00am there will also be a call to piracy with cannon fire in front of the bakery.

10:00 a.m. – Childrens games kick off at Bank Square, starting with a treasure hunt at 10am and continuing with games until about 5pm, with pony rides, a pirate story hour at the library, Rockin’ Ron, ‘The Friendly Pirate’ performing at 3pm and pirate fighting and plank walking at 4pm.

10:00 a.m. – Children’s Pirate Boat Ride with Eastport Windjammers…and pirates, of course!  Call 207-853-2500 for tickets.

11:00 a.m. – Gold and Silver Doubloon Scramble in front of Breakwater Gallery.

11:30 a.m. – Kids best dressed Pirate Pagent at the Sutherland Amphitheater.

1:00 p.m. – Pirate Parade in Downtown Eastport (parade gathering at 12:30pm on High Street between the schools and all are welcome to enter).

2:00 p.m. – Pirate Whale Watch Cruise with Eastport Windjammers. Call 207-853-2500 for tickets.

3:00 p.m. – The Pirate Bed Races will take place from Downtown Bank Square to the Amphitheater. Pre-register by calling 207-853-0727.

6:00 p.m. – There will be a street dance at the stage area.

8:00 p.m. – FIREWORKS at the fish pier. There will be cannon fire to kick off the fireworks display and there are a variety of nice options for viewing the fireworks, including a whirlpool, sunset and fireworks cruise by Eastport Windjammers (call 207-853-2500 for tickets). There will also be a fire event presentation from 7:30 to 8pm at the Amphitheater in the lead up to the fireworks.

9:00 p.m. – A variety of dances will kick off around 9 p.m., including a Pirate Princess Ball at Seaview Campground and a Scallywag and Wenches Party at the Chowder House.

There will be other various entertainment throughout the day, including live music and food.

Sunday, – September 10th

6:00 a.m. – 11:00 am – A variety of hearty breakfast options will be available, including a steak and eggs at the Waco Dining Room to yummy pastries at Moose Island Bakery.

9:00 a.m. – noon – There will be a variety of entertainment, including a hunt for hidden rock treasures, pony rides and Rockin’ Ron ‘The Friendly Pirate.’

10:00 a.m. – Children’s Pirate Boat Ride with Eastport Windjammers (and pirates, of course)!

11:00 a.m. – Treasure hunt with the pirates, meeting at Barrel Fountain in Pirate Encampment.

12:00 noon – There will be a cannon ball roll fundraiser from Down Boynton to Water Street.

12:30 p.m.  – There will be cutlass lessons for kids so they can become an official Eastport Pirate.

1:00 p.m. – There will be a march of the pirates to Bank Square, followed by ‘The Battle of Bank Square’ at 1:15pm.

3:00 p.m. – Lobster crate races between the Fish and Waco piers.