Mystic’s Pirate Invasion
This past weekend marked the 6thannual Mystic Pirate Invasion. The town was invaded by Pirates and saved by the Militia while raising money for the Downtown Mystic Merchants and Terri Broeder Breast Cancer Foundation.
The Weekend’s Events
Stonington Human Services sponsored a showing of Pirates of the Caribbean in Mystic River Park on Friday night, kicking off a weekend of pirate-themed festivities. Families crowded the park, enjoying picnic dinners and quality time with their children.
Saturday was all about the adults, as bars and pubs overflowed with locals and tourists decked out in pirate garb.
The Freemen of the Sea entertained guests with sea shanties at each participating establishment on the pub crawl map.
Crawl participants collected poker-playing cards, and the best hand won a fantastic prize.
On Sunday, hundreds of families gathered in Mystic River Park to receive a pirate map. Children followed the trail to local businesses, where they plundered Pirate Booty as part of the treasure hunt. The Whaler’s Inn’s treasure chest was empty after giving out over 400 pieces of treasure.
Visitors to the park learned about the pirate lifestyle from reenactors and were treated to dancing, singing, and a thrilling “sea” battle on the Mystic River.
The day concluded with costume contests for both adults and children. Attendees also had the opportunity to learn traditional and historic knot-tying from Mystic Knotwork.
Book For Next Year
It surely was a sight to see, matey! Be sure to book your stay for next year’s invasion (October 4, 5, and 6) and enjoy this amazing event just outside of the doors of The Whaler’s Inn.
Photos courtesy of The Downtown Mystic Merchants.
