Pirates of the High Seas

EDITOR'S NOTE: Due to potential impacts of Tropical Storm Nate, Saturday and Sunday’s activities at Pirates of the High Seas fest have been canceled. Friday’s activities will continue as planned. The Grand Lagoon Treasure Hunt, which began Monday and lasts through Saturday, is still ongoing and a winner will be announced during the second annual Bloody Mary and Music festival on Oct. 21.

PANAMA CITY BEACH — With the seventh annual Pirates of the High Seas Festival making landfall this weekend, it's a sure thing that Columbus won't be the sea voyager uppermost in people's minds.

The free, three-day festival runs Friday and Saturday in Pier Park, shifting Sunday to the Grand Lagoon area at Capt. Anderson's Marina, taking pirate fun for the whole family to a new level — including a scavenger hunt, pirate invasions, a kids' parade and main parade, live music, fireworks and more.

Costumes are encouraged, and memories will be the treasure.

FRIDAY

The Festival Village and Little Pirates Fun Zone open in the Dave & Buster's parking area at Pier Park at 5 p.m. The Children's Parade starts at 5:30 p.m. at The Back Porch.

Opening ceremonies and Treasure Drop will be at 6:15 p.m. at the Center Stage. The Second Line Parade starts at 6:30 p.m., moving south to north and ending at the Celebration Stage, where the Fais Do-Do Cajun Dance Music group will play starting at 7 p.m.

Fireworks will start at 8:30 p.m. from the Russell-Fields City Pier.

SATURDAY

The festival continues bright and early with the Pirates of the High Seas Fest 5k Run/Walk starting at 6:30 a.m. at Frank Brown Park, 16200 Panama City Beach Parkway. Register at Active.com online. Run, jog, walk or waddle —  and wear your pirate costume. There will be adult and children's costume contests at the finish.

The main Festival Village and Little Pirates Fun Zone open at noon at the Dave & Buster's parking area in Pier Park. Meanwhile, the Ukulele Orchestra of St. Andrews begins playing at the Celebration Stage. At 1:30 p.m., the Commodore Mayhem Magic Show takes the stage.

The exciting Pirate Invasion of Pier Park begins at 2:30 p.m. at the Pier Stage, led by the Krewe of Dominique Youx, Panama City Beach's original Mardi Gras organization, formed in 1986. The group is named for the pseudonym used by Jean Lafitte, the eldest member of the famous Lafitte family of buccaneers. When the Lafittes moved to New Orleans, the charismatic Jean Lafitte organized hundreds of rogues into a band of pirates who became the scourge of the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean, according to information provided by the krewe.

"Local rumor has it that some of their loot is still hidden in the estuary of St. Andrew Bay," the krewe said.

After the pirate invasion, Tom Mason and the Blue Buccaneers play at 3:30 p.m. at the Celebration Stage. The Main Parade along Powell Adams Road and into Pier Park itself begins at 5 p.m., with pirates aboard Mardi Gras floats, throwing beads and other booty.

After the parade, the Landsharks will play at the Celebration Stage at 7 p.m., with fireworks following at the Russell-Fields City Pier at 8:30 p.m.

SUNDAY

The big event of last year — and what promises to be the highlight again this year — is the routing of the pirates, as Bay County’s children drive the scurvy sea devils around the lagoon and out to sea. Last year, the children boarded the Capt. Anderson III to bombard the pirates’ ship with water guns. Several private charter boats joined the fun, occasionally pulling up alongside each other to exchange broadsides "fire" with water guns.

"On thing we know is certain: Pirates prowled the coastal waters around Panama City during the 18th and 19th centuries," explained Starr Hardoerfer with the Grand Lagoon Coalition. "The best known of these adventurers was William Augustus Bowles, who is remembered in nearby Fort Walton Beach as the 'Pirate Billy Bowlegs.'"

The Festival Village will open at noon at Capt. Anderson’s Marina parking area, 5550 N. Lagoon Drive. Tom Mason and The Blue Buccaneers will provide live music at the main stage. The fishing clinic also starts at noon on the marina dock, and lil' buccaneers can partake of grand fishing activities through 2 p.m., just one of many children's activities throughout the day. At 1:15 p.m., learn the Legend of Dominique Youx as a storyteller takes the stage.

Throughout the day, the marina will boast a boat show, mock pirate practice battles, costume contests, grub and grog, and more. Participating Grand Lagoon businesses will have treasure maps as well as "pirate specials" available.

The Pirate Battle begins at 2 p.m. on Grand Lagoon and along the marinas, as the flotilla sets sail from Capt. Anderson's Marina, Pirate's Cove Marina and Treasure Island Marina to battle those dastardly pirates out of Grand Lagoon.

The Treasure Hunt announcement will be at 3:15 p.m. on the main stage, as a lucky landlubber wins the pirate booty. Then shiver your bones to musical tunes put on by a bunch of scallywags as Magic with Capt. Mayhem takes the Capt. Anderson's stage at 3:15 p.m. The Pirates Pet Parade follows at 5 p.m.; participants are encouraged to dress up themselves and their pets in regalia fit to walk the plank.

Heat and the Zydeco Gents take the main stage at 6 p.m., and about 7:15 p.m., fireworks will erupt over Grand Lagoon to end the festival.

Capt. Anderson’s operations manager Pam Anderson said last year's festival on the lagoon drew about 1,000 people, which was more than they expected: "So that's really good. We build on it every year," she said.

What: Three-day festival with parades, live music, pirate "invasion" and more

When and Where: Festivities Friday and Saturday at Pier Park; 5K run/walk on Saturday at Frank Brown Park; festivities Sunday at Capt. Anderson's Marina

Admission: Free

Details: VisitPanamaCityBeach.com/PiratesOfTheHighSeas

PIRATES OF THE HIGH SEAS