BARNEGAT – In a turn of the tide, local officials have set sail to once again alter the course of Pirates Day.
Once a September tradition, there’s now the risk of the event overcoming uncharted waters in May. The decision comes amidst concerns over dwindling attendance, with officials pointing their spyglass at other concurrent events stealing the wind from Pirates Day’s sails.
“When Pirates Day started here in Barnegat, I wasn’t here but it was the only game around on that particular weekend,” Recreation Director Jeanne Broadbent remarked.
Once a mainstay on Long Beach Island, the Irish Festival shifted its sails in September to land on Manahawkin Lake and what’s more, they’ve got grog for sale, the mighty brew known as beer. Pirates Day doesn’t offer that brand of treasure, where nothing but dry land can be trodden upon.
Further up the coast in Island Heights, another event raises its flags in the month of September. Sailfest offers a bayside venue ripe for adventure, also promising an alcohol bounty for those who want to wet their whistles and thousands of landlubbers enjoy the chance to peruse the hundreds of vendors peddling their wares.
“Before we made the change, I asked the pirates and vendors if the May 4 weekend would work for them. We used to have a Community Day in May, so it made sense to up attendance. The vendors also said it would work,” Broadbent added.
This change in dates appears to be causing quite a stir among those yearning for a day of plunder and adventure in line with past sailing itineraries. Many a salty dog has raised their voice in protest, arguing that September is the rightful month for Pirates Day, as it contains the date for International Pirates Day.
Archived photo from 2023 – See, kids? Pirates aren’t that scary. (Photo by Stephanie Faughnan)
Social media took off in opposition to the May date, with some taking to their keyboards to point out the new date was also a biggie for Star Wars enthusiasts. One poster added that it was “piggybacked with Cinco de Mayo.” He wondered whether to expect “pirates holding light sabers with mariachi music playing in the background.”
Broadbent said that bands of pirates rarely docked in Barnegat on International Pirates Day itself and while the entire month of August celebrates swashbucklers –expecting them to anchor in summer seems unrealistic.
Many local buccaneers tend to set their own sails during that time for their vacations. Those making decisions about Pirates Day fall squarely on the governing body. Calls to Councilman Albert “Al” Bille, the liaison to the Recreation Department, resulted in silence as deep as the depths when he failed to return calls for comment.
It’s worth noting that it was Bille who first brought word of another Pirates Day change in course in 2021 when he held the helm as the local mayor.
Pirates Day History and Venue Change
Back in the year 1996, the inaugural chapter of what would become a cherished tradition came to life as Pirates Day sailed through the lively streets downtown to anchor. Bands of pirates drifted in from distant seas beyond the horizon, and young buccaneers and seasoned sea dogs alike donned their finest pirate garb.
They sported eye patches, towering hats adorned with feathers and skulls, billowing shirts, and trousers cinched with belts and buckles. Some even brandished cutlasses and pistols, ready for adventure on the high seas.
The park at the corner of East Bay Avenue and Route 9 transformed into a treasure trove of delights. By 2001, landlubbers enjoyed Civil War antique and car shows, browsed through craft and merchandise vendors, and marveled at an art show.
The day was filled with fun activities, including a petting zoo, pony rides, clowns, face painting, sand art, and candle-making. When the sun began to set, a waterfront concert serenaded the crowd at the municipal dock.
Pirates take in the show as another crew performs. (Photo by Stephanie Faughnan)
After the devastation experienced on September 11, 2001, local authorities added a remembrance ceremony for the victims to Pirates Day. It’s unclear when the candlelight vigil at the docks came to an end.
The 13th year of Pirates Day was considered a grand affair with a historic trolley ride around the town and one of two-yearly firework displays bursting over the docks.
By 2011, Pirates Day included a free-for-all with bands, over a hundred vendors, and games fit for little pirates. The Barnegat Chamber of Commerce joined hands with the township’s recreation department, drawing in an estimated 12,000 salty buccaneers.
Maritime Legacy
Those who came ashore to join in the revelry also had the opportunity to learn of Barnegat’s maritime legacy by taking in artifacts and historical treasures from the township’s seafaring days. In time, fierce winds and heavy rain forced the cancellation of Pirates Day in select years. However, it wasn’t until 2021 that local residents prepared to raise their voices and stage a mutiny in protest.
At a township committee meeting, Bille, then mayor, announced that Pirates Day would dock in another location. He said the decision had been made based on the recommendation of the township’s chief law enforcement officer, Police Chief Keith Germain.
Germain suggested moving Pirates Day because it had outgrown the town center. He cited his concerns about safety, including issues with scarce parking, a busy state highway, multiple public roads needing closure for nearly 12 hours, and limited space for the event.
It boiled down to a tale of security and logistics on the high seas of town planning – with Germain reminding the public that the governing body stands as the captains of the seafaring event.
That year, Pirates Day weighed anchor in the parking lots betwixt the Collins School and the Brackman School for the first time. Though Broadbent suggests that the dwindling attendance was tied to other happenings in the area, some salty locals beg to differ.
The Mariners Lodge #150 of Free & Accepted Masons, situated in the heart of the downtown, used to be right in the thick of the Pirates Day revelry. Tom Kostka, a longtime Barnegat resident and lodge member, shared a short tale of regret and wistful memories of the long-held tradition honoring the town’s history.
Kostka said, “it was a great public event for us to generate information on who we are and what we do. It gave us a chance to give tours of our lodge and to let people come inside and eat the meals they purchased from the local vendors. It was good for the downtown shops to have it here.”
“I’ve been in Barnegat with my family forever,” he said. “My kids grew up in this town and now I have my grandkids going to the town events – this was about heritage and roots.”
Whether it’s a true mutiny or just a squall on the horizon, the crowds at the new spot are nowhere near the bustle of the downtown waters. Instead of landlubbers making merry in local restaurants, grub is limited to offerings in ships bearing a resemblance to food trucks. Others have complained about the lack of coins flowing into the downtown shops loaded with treasures.
Some argue that Pirates Day has become nothing more than a mere flea market or vendor fair. The tales of a changing tide and discontent have only accelerated with the latest change as some fret that cherished traditions are continuing to fade away.
The town once had its own Founders Day, kicked off back in May 1988 which found itself sailing alongside the July 4th fireworks celebrations and no longer exists.
A number of scallywags question if the town’s 2021 decree could be remapped to bring Pirates Day back to the downtown harbor with a fresh layout. They point to the “bombing and destruction” of the Edwards School, which opened up more space, and the fact that the township plays host to Hoofy’s Fall Festival, the Farmers Market, and other events.
Will the governing body chart yet another course for Pirates Day’s future as a cherished event? All hands need to be on deck for any change or compromise to set sail.
“I have such beautiful joyous memories all taking place downtown in the fall supporting local business and bringing together the community to celebrate,” said Barnegat resident Christine Harashinski. “I miss those days.”
The post Barnegat’s Pirates Day Faces A Mutiny with Yet Another Change appeared first on Jersey Shore Online.
