Time to start feeding the parrot and polishing your spyglass… Pirates Week 2010 is coming.
 
The festival takes place from 11 to 21 November, and is a fun-packed 11 days for the whole family. It’s going to be bigger, better and more exciting than ever before, according to Pirates Week Office spokesman Bernie Bush.
 
“We’re looking to get more acts and more families involved and there’s going to be more competitions between the districts, with all districts working for one common cause,” he says.
 
As usual, there will be Heritage Days throughout each district, but this year a huge infusion of energy has taken place with young people getting deeply involved in order to make the district days exciting, historical and good-natured as ever.
 
The theme this year is the past, the present and the future, blending everything that came together to make Cayman the place it is today whilst speculating as to what is yet to come.
 
All the familiar, crazy and colourful fun times are ahead, too as the event kicks off with a firework display followed by a local song contents and all sorts of exciting street events.

Explosions
The famous mock pirate invasion is always extremely popular as two pirate galleons loaded with ‘pirates’ make a surprise landing at George Town harbour. Thousands line the streets to join in the landing pageant, or just watch a truly integral part of the festival. It’s the only event of its type in the Caribbean region, and always draws a large crowd.
 
“We’re making things more exciting with more fireworks, more explosions, more stuff blowing up in the harbour – really exciting for the crowd and for the kids,” says Bernie.

Boat race
The ever popular cardboard boat race will be back as well, as teams from all around the Island vie to see whose vessel is most seaworthy (or not), with ever more elaborate designs and constructions to keep the crowd smiling in the November sun.
 
“We’re expanding on the cardboard boat race to include primary schools and a women’s only section this year,” explains Bernie, who says that this year makes it 33 years since the festival first took place.
 
“We have a wide spectrum of nationalities here and we want everyone to be a part of Pirates Week. It’s a week where you get to see the culture and eat the local food – you can have the same dish in the same style in different districts, it’ll taste slightly different but it’ll taste beautiful.”   WH