Historical reenactments are popular nationwide, but pirate reenactors, specifically, tend to congregate in seaside towns. From Portsmouth NH, to St. Augustine FL, these are the towns where you’ll most likely meet historical pirate reenactors.
Complete with swords, hats, and sometimes anachronistic insults, pirate reenactors bring a unique energy to coastal towns across the United States. Discover locations like Portsmouth NH, and Baltimore MD, where you can get into real-life pirate adventures below.
1. Portsmouth, NH
Portsmouth NH has multiple seafaring festivals, including Tall Ships Portsmouth and Market Square Day. It’s all part of the local routine to meet swashbucklers walking down the city’s cobblestone streets on these days, and the Strawbery Banke Museum often hosts 1700s character reenactors, including dueling pirates.
2. Baltimore, MD
Baltimore’s Inner Harbor has a long and storied history of hosting privateers. Now, it’s home to the Urban Pirates cruise. On this boat tour, pirate reenactors teach visitors how to shoot water cannons and talk like pirates. Families love the daytime shows, while adults tend to go at night.
3. Rockport, MA
Rockport is home to a unique annual tradition: the Cape Ann Pirate Invasion. During this weekend, pirate reenactors congregate on the harbor to listen to music, trade insults, and wave mugs in the air at the local taverns. It’s a sight not to be missed for any visitor to this quaint coastal fishing village.
4. Galveston, TX
While most people don’t associate Galveston with historical pirate activity, it’s home to a good deal of costumed chaos in the modern era. The Galveston Island Shrimp Festival and Dickens on the Strand draw in pirate reenactors from across the Gulf Coast. Galveston is one of few locations where you’ll hear Southern drawls spewing period insults and proclamations.
5. New Orleans, LA
No one who has spent time in New Orleans will bat an eye at a pirate reenactor walking down the street on any random day, but you’ll most likely see them during NOLA Pyrate Week. During this week-long festival, local pirate crews blend period styling with bayou mystique and lean into the theatrical as a part of the show. Expect accents, stories, and plenty of mayhem.
St. Augustine, FL
St. Augustine Florida is one of the most pirate-friendly cities in the country. Reenactors routinely wander its cobblestone streets throughout the year thanks to the St. Augustine Pirate & Treasure Museum. The annual St. Augustine Pirate Gathering brings them out in full force for rum tastings, cannon blasts, and real pirate weddings.
Get In On the Fun
Want to get in on the fun? Why not choose one or more of the locations above and plan a pirate-themed vacation? Just be sure to get the timing right if you don’t want to miss the annual festivals held by many of these locations and the opportunity to bring out all that pirate regalia.
