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Welcome return for Brixham Pirate Festival on 12th Anniversary
irates from around the British Isles welcomed the return of Brixham Pirate Festival over the first May Bank Holiday weekend. This was its pandemic-delayed 12th Anniversary, as both the 2020 and 2021 festivals had to be cancelled. The organisers knew the 2022 festival was eagerly awaited, but they were surprised by quite how many were there as pirates and fans turned out in their thousands! Because so many had joined the Saturday Pirate Parade through town, there was no room for them all on The Quay. Crowds were packed solidly around the harbours for hours, from the Main Stage on one side to the South Quay trader areas on the other and along the outer harbour to the pontoons. That’s where this year’s special attractions, Atyla Ship Foundation and the Trafalgar Gun Company, were based. The tall ship Atyla, always crewed by passengers, who learn to sail a tall ship during their voyage, sailed to Brixham from Bilbao, bringing some festivalgoers with her. During the festival people could tour her and learn about her charitable mission, go to an evening concert
Brixham appeals to pirates of all ages.
on board with Reivers Gallows and watch as she took part in the morning skirmishes over the weekend. She set sail on Monday evening for the next leg of her journey, taking working passengers around the Bay of Biscay to arrive eventually at the Plymouth Pirates Weekend on Friday. The Trafalgar Gun Company, with a crew in early 19th century naval and sailors’ kit, brought their gun ship and gun deck to the festival. Both also joined in the skirmishes over the weekend, firing cannon and sailing up to the ships during the morning and afternoon skirmishes on Atyla and The Golden Hind. Cannon were also fired from Middle Quay, the gig club carried marauders up to the ships, close enough to fire, and
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other pirates fought their way on board to seize the ships. Outside skirmish times, festival-goers could visit the re-enactment area and gazebos on South Quay to talk to re-enactors or watch demonstrations. One special difference this year was two minutes’ silence and the firing of cannon from Middle Quay on Saturday lunchtime. This was to mark all the people who have been lost due to Covid-19 and the ongoing losses in Ukraine. It was also to say a final goodbye to an avid fan of Brixham Pirate Festival, Clive Mencarini, who died in 2019 and whose ashes were to have been fired off by cannon at the cancelled 2020 festival by special request of his family. As usual at this festival there were some glorious
costumes and kit on display, with people going above and beyond – not only pirates this year, but also sea, cartoon and maritime-themed characters. These included: enough Jack Sparrows to hold a flock meeting; an incredible Ursula from The Little Mermaid; a superb Davy Jones; real parrots on pirate shoulders and life-sized parrots walking or floating; officers, gentlemen and militia; and some 18th century folk in superb, authentic finery. The three days of live music from 13 bands and musicians got off to a grand start with local Torquay favourites Queen Anne’s Revenge, who were greeted with roars of enthusiasm by the crowd and from then on there was a glorious
