Visitors to the Cayman Islands during November 8 -18 have a treat in store, as you will be there during the 30th Annual Pirates Week Festival. Bring your costume, (you will find lots on sale after Halloween) and become a Pirate of the Caribbean! There are two things about Pirates Week to remember, first of all. a lot of it is FREE, and it is also a good time to meet local Caymanians, as this is one festival the locals really support.
Pirates Week starts off with a huge fireworks display, great fun for children and adults alike and you can sit and enjoy the pyrotechnics in the cool evening breeze, as November is one of the best times to visit weather-wise. After the fireworks you can enjoy the local song contest, hotly contested, and applaud for your favorite soca rhythm. Then grab your T-shirt and wave as the streets of George Town come alive with thousands of people for one of the week's many street dances.
The first Saturday of the 11 day celebration is the Pirates Invasion, when two sailing vessels loaded with pirates invade the harbour and take the "Governor" hostage. There used to be a time when the islands' real Governor took part in this, but probably for security reasons this part is now played by an appropriately costumed actor. The real Governor will be somewhere in the crowd, you can watch for his panama hat. part of the landing is the float parade when districts and schools enter themed flaoats and compete for a cash prize and the glory of being in first place.
"The landing" as it is known locally is a great excuse for everybody to get costumed up, there are various live bands, lots to eat and drink, and a great carnival atmosphere. One caution is that many people go early to get a good spot, and parking can be difficult, so check out possible routes to the harbour well in advance. You can get free parking at the Government Administration Building, and then walk along past the Central Police Station and down a one-way street to the harbour.
Every week day there is a heritage event in one of the out-lying districts. Most popular with the locals is "East End Heritage Day", because everybody knows the east-enders are the best cooks when it comes to sea-food. If you're looking for local favourites like stewed conch, stewed whelks (both cooked in coconut milk) or different types of fish, then east End is the place for lunch. Each district has a Heritage Day Committee which organises the town to make sure there are a lot of attractions. Many of the vendors will dress the part in gingham clothes, "wampers" (a type of sandal made from old car tyres) straw hats and sun-jackets. If you want to buy authentic Made in Cayman souvenirs, the district heritage days are the place to find them. Again, plan your day carefully, as many office workers will leave work early to attend theri district day, and some schools cllose early to allow their students to experience Cayman's main cultural event for the year. You don't want to get there mid-afternoon and find out that all the good food and baked goods have vanished!
Heritage Days are your opportunity to experience what life was like in old time Cayman, and if you visit the West Bay Heritage Day you will see a wattle and daub house, wallpapered with pages from the National Bellas Hess catalogue, and you can bounce on a plantain-trash mattress on an iron bed-frame. You should also taste food cooked on the origianal barbeque pit, the caboose. If you';ve made up your mind to try the national dish of the Cayman Islands, turtle stew,,,this is one of the few places you will get the real thing. Then you can have "trash corn" for dessert. But, don't leave it too late, Caymanians wait all year to get some of these treats and you don't want to be disappointed.
Programmes for the week are available from the Pirates Week Office, on Shedden Road (facing the harbour) or email pirates@candw.ky.
