Pirates
in
Paradise

November 28th thru
December 8th, 2002
Key West, Florida

(all photos taken by Christine Markel Lampe, except where noted)

Page 2 (Battles at Sea)    --    Page 3 (The Tryal)  
 Page 4 (The Thieves Market & Fight Circle)
Page 5 ("Give us a tune")    --    Page 6 (Pirate Portraits)

See many more photos & learn about the event at the official Pirates in Paradise website.

The Pirates in Paradise Festival is a great way to wind up a year of wonderful pillaging and plundering.  Key West is THE place for pirates.  It's a balmy paradise, full of colorful people, numerous drinkin' and eatin' establishments, lots of shops fer pillagin', surrounded by beaches and warm waters, with plenty of vessels fer makin' a quick get-away if needed.

A view of Key West looking north from the tower of the Shipwreck Historeum

There was a lot of the same great fun as at past Pirates in Paradise Festivals: the Trial of Anne Bonny and Mary Read (Captain Finbar was great as the judge!), historic tours, luncheon & shipboard readings from authors and playwrights, museum & pirate art receptions, pirates marching in the town’s holiday parade, pirate film festivals, cannon battles at sea (including the last active PT boat), pub strolls (or crawls), general carousin' and partyin', and much more.

Mary Read and Anne Bonny are paraded down the street to their tryal.

This year, pirate headquarters seemed to be Crabby Bill’s, just down the street from the historic seaport. There, the pirates gathered each afternoon and evenin’ fer singing and carousin’. The food and drink was great – a lot of seafood of course (I even had frog legs for the first time), and pirates were given a handsome discount.

The merchant booths of the Thieves Market and Pirate Street Festival were incorporated right along the wooden docks of the historic marina, in and around the Schooner Wharf bar. The Conch Train brought the tourists right down the same lane where the festival was, so they could see the rollickin’ fun and adventure. The West Coast Mutineers entertained the crowds with wildly innovative brawls and scraps in the fight circle.

There's nothing like being choked with your own bullwhip by two Scots

There were less pirate singing groups this year. but still plenty of singin’ goin’ on. The Crimson Pirates headlined at the Banana Bay Beach Party. What a perfect setting for pirates … a palm-strewn sandy beach on a moonlit bay, complete with hammocks, lounge chairs, a wonderful buffet, while listening to great musicians and singers. On the Lam, the Tortuga Mutineers, Bawdy BE and others provided a tune anytime one was called for – there was music just about every where you looked – at the bars, on the ships, and the docks.

The Kid’s Pirate Camp was a grand success this year, with lots of youngun's in attendance partakin' of the salty activities for buccaneers-in-training.

A few more Pacific Coast pirates made it this time, with more and more promising to come next year. Key West is the place to be right after Thanksgiving (or come early for the Pirate’s Thankstakin’ Party). The first half of the pirate’s week had gorgeous weather. Rain had been forecast for the end of the week, but though it threatened a few times with light drizzle, it held off until Sunday night, just after the wedding cruise of Grace O’Malley and Troll. Then the festival was brought to a grand close with the Shipwreck Party at Crabby Bills.

See much more of the Pirates in Paradise festival ...

Page 2 (Battles at Sea)    --    Page 3 (The Tryal)  
 Page 4 (The Thieves Market & Fight Circle)
Page 5 ("Give us a tune")    --    Page 6 (Pirate Portraits)

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Modified February 12, 2003
Web page design by Michael & Christine Markel Lampe.
© 2003 "No Quarter Given" . All rights reserved.
No don't you go piratin' any written material, graphics or photos from the "NO QUARTER GIVEN" website without permission, or we'll have to hunt you down, hand ya over to the crew, and let them have their way with ya. WARNIN': they've been a long time at sea.
Besides. . . , it ain't nice ta steal!