NEW RELEASE
ORILLIA DISTRICT CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
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What “arrrh” you doing this weekend?
It’s Labour Day weekend, and in Orillia that means one thing: Pirates are about to invade the city for the annual Port of Orillia Pirate Party.
The event will take place primarily at the Port of Orillia and Centennial Park. The public is reminded that, when accessing the park for this weekend’s event, it is extremely important to stay away from the construction area and only use the designated pedestrian access points, which are located at the south end of the port off Mississaga Street East, next to the Legion, and at the north end of Couchiching Beach Park off Jarvis Street.
A map showing park access points and nearby parking options is available on the City of Orillia’s website. Pirate Party attendees are encouraged to use this resource to plan ahead for a safe, enjoyable, and hassle-free experience.
The pirates are expected to make landfall on Friday. They will be setting up an encampment in the area next to the Port of Orillia and will be carrying out “attacks” on various local landmarks from both land and water. The public is invited to come enjoy the spectacle, learn a little about history, and be a part of the fun by dressing up and becoming a pirate for the weekend.
The pirate encampment will feature animation by historical re-enactors, including duels, cooking demos, and rope making. Mock battles, featuring historical replica artillery and ships, will take place Saturday and Sunday. A schedule that includes the various locations and times of the demonstrations and battles is available at www.orillia.com/pirate-party.
In addition to the pirate animation, there will be a number of other activities taking place between Friday and Sunday, including a downtown treasure hunt. There will be live music including the Connor Brothers on Saturday night and Orangeman Sunday night, a “walk the plank” fundraising event supporting the Rotary Aqua Theatre on Saturday at 2:30 p.m., and a decorated boat contest for guests of the Port of Orillia with judging taking place on Saturday evening.
The Orillia Museum of Art and History will be running a special edition of their Gangs, Guns and Grog walking tour throughout the day Saturday. (Fees apply; click here for more information.) The tours depart from the Port of Orillia and take participants around the downtown while sharing stories about Orillia’s wild west days.
“Grog” enthusiasts will also want to check out a special offering at Couchiching Craft Brewing Co. The brewery has released a craft beer called Ahoy Matey (4.7 per cent) to celebrate the Pirate Party. This limited-time pale ale features notes of mango, citrus, and stone fruit, and is available on tap at the brewery and in their retail store.
The Pirate Party would not be possible without Tom Hurlbut, a local historical re-enactor who organizes all the replica ships and re-enactors to come to Orillia every year. While the Pirate Party is a family-friendly event based on the Disney version of pirates, the re-enactors add a flavour of authenticity to the event with their historical costumes, boats, and equipment, which are representative of what might have been worn during the historical period portrayed in pirate movies. The event has not only been popular with boaters but has also been a hit with the local community.
The Pirate Party is made possible through the sponsorship by Docklinks.ca and MD Marine Insurance, and the support of the members of the Orillia District Chamber of Commerce. Dock Links is a boater savings program that allows boaters to save more and boat more.
A full schedule of events is available here.
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