St. Louis Pirate Festival is Fun for the Whole Family

The St. Louis Pirate Festival is a wonderfully fun fall festival in St. Louis. Take all of the fun of a Renaissance Festival, add pirates and you have a great time for the entire family. The Festival is run as an offshoot of Renaissance St. Louis to cater to a more diverse crowd, and succeeds on multiple levels.

The 2010 St. Louis Pirate Festival kicks off on September 11 and runs Saturdays and Sundays until September 26. Gates are open from 10 AM to 6 PM each day, and tickets are reasonably priced at $8 for children ages 5 through adults. Children under the ages of 5 are free. For additional savings, a season pass may be purchase. For children ages 5-12, a season pass is $10. For Senior or Student admissions, a season pass is $18. For all other adults, a season pass is $25.00. Admission coupons are available on their official website. The St. Louis Pirate Festival is held in Wentzville, Missouri at the Rotary Park. The pair is pet friendly, but all dogs must be leashed and have proof of current vaccinations. By city ordinance, pitbulls and pitbull mixes must be muzzled and on a leash no longer than four feet. No glass is allowed in the park, and for those who chose to come in period garb, all weapons, excluding wooden and plastic, must be zip-tied so they cannot be drawn. Edged weapons must be covered with a cloth or sheath.

The St. Louis Pirate Festival is set in Fort Royal, Martinique in the year 1720. In the village of Fort Royal, the pirates have gathered to choose a king. The governor is in opposition to this, as he is courting favors with King Louis in hopes of obtaining a title. The pirate king contest comes down to three main contenders, who then decide that the title should be based upon a series of competitions. Pirates being pirates, rules are broken and the whole town gets involved.

Aside from the entertainment provided by the characters, there are many vendors and entertainment includes musicians, fortune tellers, comedy troops, magicians, dancers and storytellers. Vendors include food vendors selling an array of fair food, medieval and pirate weaponry vendors, period garb sellers, and jewelry and metal workers. The St. Louis Pirate Festival is an affordable treat for the whole family, and something to be anticipated every fall. Children especially love seeing all of the colorful characters who are happy to interact with all the young mateys.