Pirate Festival in St. Pete

[Squire Mickey]

I just was looking for information on the Pirate Festival in St. Pete the weekend of the 21-23rd. I went to the website and was shocked how incomplete it was, since the event is supposidly 2 weeks away.

Does anyone know if this is still on? Is there a better source of information than www.piratefair.com/

[Auryn]

i wish i could help, I know exactly how you feel.
i am planning on going- its about a 5 hr drive for me.

I have been checking their website since august and nothing has changed.
Ive called them a few times and left messages and no replies.

I sent them an email asking about their weapon policy- took them over a week to reply. This was their answer "Weapons must be peace tied no black powder, replicas are fine. No firing of blackpowder is allowed or caps. we reserve the right to ask someone to remove their weapons if we feel the need."

However I was looking in the Ren Faire magazine on saturday and the listing for their show says no weapons at all.

Im starting to wonder if its even worth going.
We are driving from south florida to st.pete and the next day we have to drive straight to west virginia for a family thanksgiving

if anyone has any info on this pirate faire it would be greatly appreciated

[Squire Mickey]

i wish i could help, I know exactly how you feel.
i am planning on going- its about a 5 hr drive for me.

I have been checking their website since august and nothing has changed.
Ive called them a few times and left messages and no replies.

I sent them an email asking about their weapon policy- took them over a week to reply. This was their answer "Weapons must be peace tied no black powder, replicas are fine. No firing of blackpowder is allowed or caps. we reserve the right to ask someone to remove their weapons if we feel the need."

However I was looking in the Ren Faire magazine on saturday and the listing for their show says no weapons at all.

Im starting to wonder if its even worth going.
We are driving from south florida to st.pete and the next day we have to drive straight to west virginia for a family thanksgiving

if anyone has any info on this pirate faire it would be greatly appreciated

I heard from Welch Wenchie and she says:
The website IS pretty awful.
It is Nov. 21-22-23.
I'll be there at the Pirates Magazine booth with the PM regulars.

It is still on because I saw the advertisement in the paper earlier this week.

Vinoy Park, St Petersburg.


I will be going and trying to hope for the best.

[Auryn]

thanks Squire Mickey,
I'm glad you have an update.
I was really starting to worry

[Anna Iram]

Auryn, I've been to this faire and it is very ,very small. I did have a few laughs as many from the BARF cast are onboard, so I knew alot of people, and enjoyed a few acts, but I'm not sure a five hour drive is warrented. Your call of course. Have fun if you do go!

[Squire Mickey]

Auryn, I've been to this faire and it is very ,very small. I did have a few laughs as many from the BARF cast are onboard, so I knew alot of people, and enjoyed a few acts, but I'm not sure a five hour drive is warrented. Your call of course. Have fun if you do go!

Anna, are there many merchants, food, pubs, involved at all for this faire?

[Auryn]

thanks for the input Anna,
thats what I was looking for,to talk to someone who has been there.

Oh man, my boyfriend is going to be heartbroken, this was going to be his first faire of any kind. I've been working on his garb for a while now, he even bought a sword.

Anna, what else can you tell me about it??

thanks for the help

[Anna Iram]

Well, I don't know about this year, but last year there was a pub, several food booths, I don't recall what I ate but I remember it was good... a combat show, a cannon firing demonstration. There was a good weapons booth, I won a sword as a matter of fact. ! There was a great booth selling bottles of meade, some clothing and such... For shows there was a few musical and comedic shows. For Love or Money was playing in the lanes.

I really don't know how it will be this year. I say don your garb and go have fun. Faire is all about what you make of it anyway. If you get there and it's really really lame I believe there is a medeival faire in Sarasota (at the fairegrounds) the weekend of 22/23. Maybe 45mins/1 hour south. 

If I hear anything more I'll pass it along.

[Auryn]

Thanks for all the info Anna

last question, do you know what the weapons policy is ??

thanks
we will probably go and just enjoy ourselves no matter what.

[Anna Iram]

Okay, not much info out there, but I did find this:

http://www.emptyhats.com/emptyhats2002/schedule.htm


Looks like Empty Hat's will be there for the first two days! I assume that's their update. They are awesome and well worth the five hour drive! Hmmm...I may have to figure a way to pop over for a bit myself. Let me know when you all are going, and maybe we can meet for some laughs.

As far as weapons policy I'd go with what they told you rather than what's in the mag. Probably more accurate.

Here's the site for the Sarasota festival if you all are thinking of stopping there as well.

http://www.sarasotamedievalfair.com/Index_files/Shows.html

[meelicow]

also be prepared to dress warm...last year at night it got really cold....and i froze my fingers off...it is a small show...keep that in mind...they also have a fire show at night....must see opportunity

[Crosslevel]

Last year the one guy at the gate told me I couldn't bring my sword in, but the guy on the other gate was letting people through so I doubled back at got in with it. I think it's hit or miss. The description given in a print out I have says no weapons except for non fire-able replicas, so I guess guns are OK nut blades not so much. You could always walk it back to the car.

adam

[Crosslevel]

Oh one more thing. If I had to choose between SPPfest or Sarasota RF, I'd hit Sarasota. Not a huge faire, but it's well done and I had a blast last year. Even thought they messed up scheduling it in competition with BARF. I think this year will be even better. Since the only thing locally is the SPPfest. I think it would be a better choice if you're trying to convert your boyfriend over to the REN side!

adam

[beeboy]

keep in mind that the guy who owns the faire is a full-time rennie who has his own rides company to deal with on the road, along with this faire

he just spent 3 months in Pennsylvania and Pittsburg

[Auryn]

well
we ended up going to pirate fair in st.pete.
and we had a blast.
i was very dissapointed that there were several non faire style booths- one was some kind of energy drink, then there was a video game booth, totally killed the atmosphere.

The Swash and Buckle show was brilliant.

[Squire Mickey]

Was a good time had by all....

[Anna Iram]

Looks like they let you carry weapons!

Glad to see you all had fun. 

[Celtic_Fae]

Yes, Anna, they did let us carry weapons, per the regular peace-tying rules: either have it peace-tied in an acceptable manner or they zip-tied it for you.

[Auryn]

Yes weapons were allowed, ours were completely secured but they zip tied us anyway- oh well.




the firing demonstration was awesome

[Squire Mickey]

Looks like they let you carry weapons!

Glad to see you all had fun. 

The sword I am carring there is actually made of wood. I used matalic paint on it to look like steel and brass...

[MargaretheDietrich]

Yes weapons were allowed, ours were completely secured but they zip tied us anyway- oh well.




the firing demonstration was awesome

I've been to shows where our weapons are securely tied and they zip tie them anyway. It's not YOU (the safe, responsible patron) they're worried about, TRUST me. But I know how frustrating that can be when you know that you're one of the safe ones.
And I usually work at FPF as one of the Jennies (the redhead all in green)
I took this year off due to expecting my son. The hubby is usually the Captain of the redcoats and played Commodore Chamberlaine this year (the Navy guy who fought Vane) I was out to visit a few weeks after having him and back in my corset no less. WHOOT!
I'm glad you enjoyed yourself! Hope to see all of you next year.
Lord willing, we'll meet at BARF so I'll recognize everyone! Exy knows me as does Seamus ;-)
I haven't gotten to meet near enough of the non-cast people that I talk to on here and am hoping to rectify that.