When:  Saturday, September 18^th, 10AM to 10PM and Sunday, September 19^th, 10 AM to 6 PM (Talk Like a Pirate Day!)

Where: Cathedral Park, under the St John’s Bridge, Portland, OR

Information: www.portlandpiratefestival.com and (503) 853-1497

Portland PIRATE Festival is a proud sponsor of The Oregon Maritime Museum, helping them celebrate their 30^th anniversary as a non-profit organization dedicated to the maritime heritage of Oregon and the Columbia River Basin. www.oregonmaritimemuseum.org

AHOY Land-lubbers! Climb aboard as the 5th Annual Portland PIRATE Festival sets sail for two exciting days of piratical fun and family adventure under the historic St. John’s Bridge in Cathedral Park.  Featuring a whole fleet of new performers and attractions brought on-board to celebrate the 5^th anniversary.   Be sure to join in the new TAG Scavenger Hunts and try to win yourself some real pirate booty.

- On Saturday, September 18^th enter the 1st Stumptown Beard & Mustache Competition. Watch on as competitors display the fanciest facial hair in the Northwest and vie for prizes and titles in six categories. Sanctioned by Beard Team USA (www.beardteamusa.org) this event is hosted by Stumptown Stash and Beard Collective (www.stumptownsbc.com) and PDXYar (www.pdxyar.org).  Participation is open to the pubic and registration is on the festival website.

- On Sunday, September 19^th come help Portland reclaim our GUINNESS WORLD RECORD™ (www.guinnessbook.com) for “THE LARGEST GATHERING of PIRATES”.  We set the record with 1,670 pirates at the 2009 festival on Sunday, September 20th.  Now the Brits in Hastings, UK have claimed the record with 6,166 at an event held on Aug 6^th, 2010 (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-sussex-10897861).  In the words of the PPF organizers, “This means pirate war!” The new record attempt will occur on Talk-Like-a-Pirate Day and will be hosted by Cap’n Slappy; world famous co-creator of this international pirate holiday. The good Cap’n will autograph books and debut a new pirate song for the wee buccaneers.

In other news, Kate Larsen (aka “Margot la Mechante de Marseilles”) co-producer and co-founder of the Portland Pirate Festival and “Bilge Rats & Pyrettes” band leader, was elected this spring by Pirates magazine (www.piratesmagazine.com) as one of the first ever members of the nationally recognized “Devil’s Dozen.” Margot was sworn in as one of America’s “Pirate Lords” and a charter member of the “ORDER of the LEVIATHAN”.

For the kids, this year’s lineup includes a host of family friendly entertainment, including the giant strolling puppets of Seattle’s Zambini Brothers, Let’s Pretend’s interactive high energy children’s theater,Dragon Theater Puppet Shows, Pirate Sea Battle strategy game by PDXYar, swordplay, scavenger hunts and interactive games with The Pirates of Puget Sound,  an abundance of colorful parrots and giant inflatable rides on Scupper Monkey Island where every kid gets a free balloon and airbrush tattoo!   

History comes alive as Oberon’s Three Penny Tavern serves old world mead, cider and Nincasi brews, complete with tavern wenches & pub sings, B.O.O.M. Pirates and the King’s Navy recreate cannon and sword battles on the beach, Academia Duellatoria demonstrates and teaches traditional sword play and Jim Rich, Pirates of the Caribbean Blacksmith and other historians provide a wealth of insight into our pirate past.

Three stages will feature two full days of Music at this year’s Portland Pirate Festival.

Music Sailing in from Afar

Aloysius Macknucklepeck (aka Mister Mac) – As a seasoned and well-tarred salt who has weathered many a storm and braved the waters of many a birthday party, Mr. Mac is just the man to handle a new young crew.  In no time he will have lubbers of all ages singing & clapping along as he teaches everyone what it means to be a pirate.

Eric Herman, the internationally acclaimed kindie-rock star whose witty sea shanty style song “Blackbeard, Bluebeard and Redbeard – A Pirate Story” has been made into an animated video.  Herman is also known for his “Elephant Song,” which has had more than 15 million views on You tube. Herman will perf0rm on Saturday only.

The Dreadnoughts – Saturday Night Concert. CBC Radio describes them as “One part roaring sea shanty, one part haunting Irish melody, and a solid chaser of gut-crunching street punk. This live show is not to be missed.” This ragtag group of misfits stays true to the ancient ballads and bawlers that once drove sailors around the world, all the while smashing out modern punk with a fury and intensity that is unmatched in their home city of Vancouver, B.C.

Pirates Charles –Saturday and Sunday – Pirate rock specialists hailing from Southern California. The band combines old-world instruments with modern sounds to create music that is bold, adventurous and strong. Bilgemunkey Radio describes their show as “jovial and shameless… so wonderfully perfect that it’s hard to believe it isn’t secretly (and masterfully) contrived…That such a primitive facade can conceal music so entirely engrossing is a major feat.”

Tom Lewis, dubbed “The Springsteen of Sea Chanteys”, will share his vitally authentic stance, from traditional shanties to songs fashioned out of his own seafaring background after 24 years in the British Royal Navy. Tom accompanies himself on button accordion and ukulele, but it’s his powerful vocal style and infectious humor that keeps audiences coming back again and again!

Music from Local Shores

BilgeRats and Pyrettes –As the OFFICIAL band of the PPF, these rogues perform an acoustic collection of pirate-themed music featuring traditional sea shanties, original compositions and familiar contemporary sounds, all woven together by dramatic interludes which tell the tale of a renegade life on the sea. Their Pirate Vaudeville show delights audiences of all ages!

Chata Addy & Susuma – Professional drummer, composer, dancer, and chorographer from Ghana, West Africa, Chata is a member of the renowned Addy family of musicians in Portland.

Chervona – Mixing together taste and passion of the best Gypsy, Russian, Ukrainian, Klezmer and Balkan musical traditions, Chervona brings the fire of Eastern European carnivals to the land of America. Chervona transforms a celebration into the ultimate Russian Pirate Party! www.starbugs.com/chervona.

Other performers at the festival include: The Lost Highwaymen, Shakesprov, River City Pipe & Drum, Sam Bam Boo, Zimba Marimba, Beltaine, Charley Brown Juggling, Renegade Rose, Jake Duncan Dijeridoo, Fire & Steel, belly dancers from Belissimonde, Gypsy Caravan, Black Spot Cabaret, and wandering performers, from stilt walking pirates to sea dragons!

For more information, schedule updates, and to purchase tickets visit the web site:

WWW.PORTLANDPIRATEFESTIVAL.COM