Sponsored: Tennessee Pirate Fest opens in Harriman next weekend

Ahoy, Mates! Tennessee Pirate Fest Invites You!

The fourth annual Tennessee Pirate Fest invites you to go back in time to the “Age of Piracy.” This outdoor daytime interactive entertainment-oriented festival will be held the middle two weekends in October at the Tennessee Medieval Faire site in Harriman–just 30 miles west of Turkey Creek. Patrons will be transported to the fictional Caribbean town of Port Royale in the Tortugas, circa 1685.  

“This year, our characters are loosely based on the movies ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’ and ‘Captain Blood,'” said Barrie Paulson, Vice President-Manager and Entertainment Director. “Come meet the Governor of Port Royale and his daughter, British red coats, townspeople, and lots of pirates! Come with a happy heart and sense of adventure, and you’ll have lots of fun.”

Rotating on several stages will be numerous professional acts: Caribbean and Celtic music by Tom Mason and the Blue Buccaneers, Thunder and Spice, The CrossJacks, PanEZ Steelband, Black Mash Hollow, and Timothy Russell. There will be portable benches, but patrons are welcome to bring lawn chairs. Performing interactive comedy or dance shows will be The Tortuga Twins (PG), Einstein Simplified, and Misfit Gypsies. Some acts will be different each weekend, and schedules will be available online and at the entrance.

Patrons are encouraged to dress in costume and enter the Costume Contest. All may share their talents to join a pirate crew in the Pirate Gong Show. There will also be Pirate School, the Governor’s Variety Show, and Combat Croquet. There will also be a mid-day parade, and on Saturdays the Bucketeers will be featured. New kids’ shows this year include Captain Chester, Defender of the Caribbean by Lars Paulson, and Peter Pan and Wendy performed by Roane County High School.

New activities include Pirate Olympics. There will also be a Scavenger Hunt on the slightly spooky Trail of Doom (PG). Other free activities include corn hole, volleyball, croquet, tetherball, stocks, giant chess, and steel drum.  There will be other games to play for a small fee.  

Merchants will help create the village by selling custom crafts such as costumes, leather pouches, drinking horns, soaps, blacksmith items, and jewelry. A variety of festival food will also be available, including smoked turkey legs, Bourbon chicken, Philly steak, fried catfish, chicken wraps, shaved ice, pineapple smoothie served in the pineapple, and hot and cold beverages as well as beer for those 21+ years with valid photo identification. A list of vendors can be found on the festival website.  

The Tennessee Pirate Fest will be open rain or shine on October 12-13 and 19-20 from 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Eastern time. The festival location is 550 Fiske Road in Harriman. Free field parking is provided. Ticket prices are $16 for ages 13+, $8 for ages 5 to 12, and free admission for ages 4 and under. Tickets may be purchased on festival days at the ticket house for cash or credit. Ticket prices include sales tax; however, a $1 convenience fee will be added per entrance ticket for credit usage. Festival beverage tickets will also be available in $1 increments, or patrons can use exact change to purchase water ($2), soda ($3), or beer ($5).  There will be no ATM onsite, so patrons are encouraged to bring cash for purchases, tips, and convenience.

Safety rules include the following: no pets (service animals only), no loaded firearms or sharp weapons (all stage weapons must be sheathed and zip tied), and no outside food or drinks. There will be no onsite public camping; however, a motel discount is available with free breakfast at the Baymont Inn in Harriman (call (865) 882-5340 with promo code LKDE). For more information, please visit www.TNPirateFest.com, “like” the Tennessee Pirate Fest on Facebook, or call (865) 376-0319.

Get Yer Pirate On!