John LeVique Pirate Days

12th Annual John LeVique Pirate Days May 10th, 11th and 12th, 2013 Friday, 3:00 PM to 8:00 PM (craft vendors); Saturday, 10:00 AM to 8:00 PM; Sunday, 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM Pirates Ball: Friday, 7:00 PM to 11:00 PM (Food Vendors Opened) Location: John-s Pass Village ? 12902 Village Blvd., Madeira Beach, FL 33708 Applicants: Pirate themed, Renaissance, Artisans, Craftsmen, Food, Corporate Sponsors John LeVique Pirate Days is an annual event that takes place on the second weekend in May each year in celebration of LeVique-s discovery of the John-s Pass waterway following the Great Gale of 1848. A variety of events will be hosted throughout the weekend including hurricane awareness, a Pirate-s Ball, a sea battle and boat parade, a walking parade, a family treasure hunt, costume contests, a pub crawl and more. The event will also include various pirate themed merchandise, food and beverage vendors, along with an abundance of authentic performers. The Pirates Ball will take place in the Main Parking lot at John-s Pass, on Friday May 10th, from 7 pm to 11pm. This bawdy, over 21 adventure & fundraiser, will feature piratical entertainment with sea shanties and nautical songs. The grown-ups costume contest will be judged at 10 pm, with the victors receiving prizes valued at thousands of dollars donated by area merchants. Scores of fabulous treasures have been collected for the Chinese and Live auctions. Tickets for the Pirates Ball are a $20 donation. John LeVique weekend events kick off at 10 am on Saturday, May 11th. Step off the shuttle at the main entrance to Village Boulevard and enter a world of the past. Shop for nautical and pirate themed treasures and visit the Hurricane Expo sponsored by Lowes with loads of give-a-ways! Food and Beverages will be available near the main stage, as well as pirate themed musicians and comedy acts. There is no fee for admission to the event. The Family Treasure Hunt begins on Saturday, May 11th, 10am to 6pm and continues 10am to 4pm on Sunday, May 12th. The Village Wide treasure hunt is by far, one of the events most popular activities. Families are given a map and a list of clues and are encouraged to dress in pirate garb. The goal is to find all of the spots on the treasure hunt in order to qualify for the grand prize drawing, valued at hundreds of dollars. Participating merchants have donated a gift item for the grand prize, and will provide a ?trinket- for each family on the treasure hunt as proof that they have found their ?spot?. Treasure maps are limited to the first 500 families. All families who complete the hunt will be entered into the grand prize drawing, which will be held at 4:15 pm on Sunday, May 12th. There is no fee for families to participate in the Treasure Hunt. Additional Children-s Activities include face painting, craft projects and family friendly entertainment. (some fees may apply) The Children-s Costume Contest will take place at 4:15 pm on May 11th. Sponsored by Windworks, and co-sponsored by the Kiwanis Club of Gulf Beaches, every child will receive a prize, with several larger prizes being awarded to the best dressed! Windworks is located at 13009 Village Blvd, JPV. Contestants can pre-register by calling ahead 727-320-9463. There is no fee for children to participate in the costume contest. Boat Parade Committee has shanghaied ships from all ports to participate in the Boat Parade and Sea Battle. Groups loyal to John LeVique will include armadas from the Rough Riders, the Krewe of Conquistadors, and the Krewe of Neptune. The Flotilla will set sail Saturday, May 11th at 11:30 am from just north of the Treasure Island Bridge and will continue past Eleanor Island before entering the battle zone in front of the Johns Pass Boardwalk at High Noon. The Loyalists plan to surprise their foes by out-flanking them and engaging in a sea battle with plenty of water pistols, super soakers, and black powder cannons! Behind the scenes, judges will be searching for boats that are, among other categories, the best decorated, most lively, smallest, and have the wettest crews. Following the invasion, the sea Loyalists will rendezvous with their land-side troops and Parade through the Village handing out beads and other trinkets to the children. The parade which starts at 1:30, will wind through the Village and end at the center square tent where prizes will be given to the winners of each boating category. This event is environmentally friendly. No beads or balloons shall be thrown during the Sea Battle. There are no fees associated with this fun-filled family adventure. Interested parade participants can request additional information by sending an email to, [email protected] or by contacting Commodore Terry Morehouse at 727-391-4016. The Pirates Pub Crawl is an over 21 only adventure. Tickets will include one complimentary spirited beverage at each of the participating Pubs as well as a special edition Pub Crawl pass. The Pub Crawl is leisurely and ongoing throughout the hours of the event, May 10-12. Each of the participating pubs will feature one beverage, scheduled entertainment, give-a-ways, and specials throughout the weekend. A Limited number of Pub Crawl tickets are available for a $25 donation and may be purchased online at www.JohnLeviquePirateDays.com, at the Pirates Ball on Friday night or at the Event Information booth on Saturday until sold out. For those who have been out to sea too long and require a ride home, please call FreeBeachRide.com at 727-776-7533 The West Coast Mutineers are the featured performance group. They are a crew of specialized actors, actresses and re-enactors who design and rehearse their stunts for months before the show. They specialize in recreating an actual scene such as something one may have seen in The Golden Age of Piracy. They bring period style encampments, authentic costuming and choreographed fight circles to the show each year. This year promises to be the ?best year ever?! During the Fight Circles, and while taking a break from their vigorous routine, patrons can visit these talented performers at the West Coast Mutineers Encampment on the North End of Village Boulevard. The event is hosted by the John-s Pass Village Association and produced by SIK Promotions, Inc. John-s Pass Festivals could not be made possible without the support of our fine sponsors, including but not limited to; The City of Madeira Beach, Bright House Networks, John-s Pass Condos, Lowes, Vino Florida, Budweiser, Windworks, Kiwanis Club of Gulf Beaches, The Pirate Ship Royal Conquest, Victoria-s Garden, Hammerheads Seafood, JohnsPass.com, Hubbards Marina and all of the John-s Pass Village Merchants who participate in the festivities. Plan to Pillage John-s Pass Village and Prepare for Hurricane Season at the 12th Annual John LeVique Pirate Days, May 10-12, 2013, located in the surrounding area of 12902 Village Blvd on Madeira Beach. Hours for the event are; Friday, 3-11 pm, Saturday 10am to 8pm and Sunday 10am to 6pm. Free Parking is available at Madeira Beach Fundamental School at 591 Tom Stuart Causeway, Madeira Beach, 33708, with a Free Shuttle to and from John-s Pass Village. Additional pay parking is available within John's Pass Village, and along Gulf Blvd. For more information, please like us on Facebook www.facebook.com/johnleviquepiratedays, visit www.JohnLeviquePirateDays.com or call 727-322-5217.