You're walking down the street in Hampton, Va., surrounded by thousands of pirates. Just yesterday, you were strolling down these same crepe myrtle-lined cobblestones, touring eclectic shops and eateries. As you survey the scene in wonder, you feel as though you've been transported back to the 1700s. A gruff-looking man in historic garb points at you and yells, " Blimey - me fair lass spys as though she be ne'eerrr seen a pirate!" to which the surrounding scallywags burst out in raucous laughter with agreeing "Aye's." Well, you've certainly never seen this many in one place, that's for sure. You ask yourself what in the world you're doing here, when you're reminded by the sight of numerous signs and banners welcoming pirates of all ages to the Eighth Annual Hampton Blackbeard Pirate Festival. Who knew there was an entire festival devoted to pirates - and not just any pirate, but the Caribbean's most notorious pirate, Blackbeard? This is going to be interesting.
The trip starts innocently enough when you arrive at the Newport News/ Williamsburg
International Airport. You meet Ryan LaFata, the media relations manager for the Hampton Convention
& Visitors Bureau, an energetic and knowledgeable ambassador who'll be your guide. As you enjoy
the scenery during the drive to the Hampton Marina Hotel where you'll be staying, LaFata helps to
get
you oriented by giving you an overview of Hampton. Located in Southeastern Virginia, this
55-square-mile city is in the center of Hampton Roads,
a geographic region that includes nine cities and six counties. It's situated midway along
the East Coast, which makes it a convenient half-hour drive from Colonial Williamsburg and Virginia
Beach. And since it's partially bordered by the Hampton Roads Harbor and the Chesapeake Bay, it's
highly accessible by boat. Boaters traveling up and down the Intracoastal Waterway can easily stop
at one of many available marinas in Hampton and walk to the downtown attractions and
restaurants.
Regardless of how you arrive, you'll want to take to the town by foot. The Hampton History Museum is within short walking distance from the Hampton Marina Hotel, and is an appropriate place to begin your visit. Curator Michael Cobb takes you on a tour of the museum, and as you explore the 10 galleries, you realize just how unique Hampton's past is. After Spanish explorers arrived at Kecoughtan (which would later become Hampton) in 1570, it was the home of one monumental American event after another: the first continuous English-speaking settlement; first English Christmas, first free public education; first site for NASA; and first training ground for U.S. astronauts.
However, the exhibit that most catches your eye is inside the 18th Century Gallery, where you come face-to-face with Black-beard the Pirate - or, at least his resin head. In the 1700s, Hampton was a bustling seaport and became the doorway to commerce for the colonies, therefore making its waterfront a prime target for one of the fiercest and most successful pirates of the Caribbean - Capt. Edward Teach, a.k.a. Blackbeard. Following a ferocious battle in which he was defeated by the Royal Navy, Blackbeard was killed and decapitated. Legend has it that Lt. Maynard returned Blackbeard's head to Hampton, where it was mounted on a pole at the mouth of the Hampton River, warning all other pirates of their impending fate. Although the legend of Blackbeard is partially folklore, Hampton takes several days each year and devotes them entirely to celebrating the famous pirate.
Visit Hampton's waterfront, and you'll find several water-related events happening there each year, such as the Hampton Cup Regatta. Like Blackbeard, it too scares the fish out of their scales - as the oldest continually running hydroplane boat race in North America, it sees top speeds ranging from 110 to 170 mph. You dine that evening at Surf Rider with Marc Griffin, the chairman of the Hampton Cup Regatta Committee, who informs you the Regatta will soon be celebrating its 82nd anniversary. You're unfamiliar with hydroplanes, but over some delicious crab dip and crab cakes (hey, you have to take advantage of fresh crab while you're on the Chesapeake Bay, especially since Hampton is nicknamed "Crabtown, USA"), you learn they're among the fastest watercraft in the world.
You sleep well on the high seas that evening and awake with hopes of seeing some pirates running around Hampton the next morning, but as you set out, you only see a poster of Blackbeard that makes you chuckle. It says: "Piracy. Mayhem. Wench Fights. (It's better than pro wrestling.)" You're becoming intrigued with what's to come at the festival. But for now, you avert your attention to Megan Steele, director of marketing and public relations for the Virginia Air & Space Center, who's giving you a tour. The sight of 19 aircraft and spacecraft hanging from the 94-foot ceiling is pretty awesome. The official visitor center for NASA Langley Research Fac-ilities, the Virginia Air & Space Center recently completed Space Quest: Exploring the Moon, Mars and Beyond, a brand-new $8 million gallery. You get to experience the gallery first-hand by traveling to the Red Planet in the Mars transporter, landing on the moon, programming Mars rovers for a mission, and even training for a lunar mission yourself. Next up is the Adventures in Flight gallery, where you experience the Boeing 717 Glass Cockpit Flight Simulator and see the full-size Air Tran DC-9, World War II bomber with motion simulator, and a 1:48 scale model of the USS Ronald Reagan. Out of the many more exhibits and displays, though, your favorite is "A Day In the Life of a Suitcase," which gives you a glimpse into the process your airline luggage goes through from the moment you drop it off at the airport to the time you pick it up - although it does make you even more wary of your baggage on the flight home.
Next you switch to something a little more simplistic, but just as enjoyable - a ride on the Hampton Carousel. Built in 1920, the wooden merry-go-round has been completely restored to its original beauty and stands in its own pavilion on the city's waterfront. Now, if only there were some pirates on those horses … that would be a sight to see. You walk over to the Cousteau Society U.S. headquarters, which is a gallery displaying photographs, awards and artifacts from 50 years of exploration. Founded in 1974 by ocean explorer and advocate Jacques-Yves Cousteau, the Cousteau Society has introduced millions of people worldwide to the beauty of our planet's waters, while fostering international environmental education and awareness. Hmm, something tells you Blackbeard's foremost concern probably wasn't preserving the oceans.
Speaking of the infamous pirate, you have the privilege of eating lunch with "Blackbeard" himself, along with his pirate wife DeeGee, at the Marker 20 restaurant. Commanding in presence, Blackbeard looks just like you'd imagine him - he dons a stunning red velvet jacket, has ribbons in his beard, and wears black bucket boots - but appears as though he could promptly skewer his enemies at any moment. His charisma and entertaining approach to history capture your attention, and no matter what question you ask, he seems to have an answer (and of course, it's in authentic pirate speak). Blackbeard, as it turns out, is actually a re-enactor named Ben Cherry, who travels for a living, sharing Colonial America's and the Caribbean's most colorful moments in history. This explains why you still feel a bit like you're talking to a pirate, even when he's out of character.
Unfortunately, Blackbeard has other pirate-y things he must attend to, so you bid Godspeed and board the double-decked tour boat Miss Hampton II for a narrated cruise of the Hampton Roads Harbor and Chesapeake Bay. It's a great opportunity to sit back and relax for a few hours on the water while getting a taste of Hampton's seafaring culture during its past four centuries on the Bay. You cruise past Blackbeard's Point, Hampton University, Old Point Comfort and Norfolk Naval Base, where you get a look at the mighty ships and submarines berthed at the world's largest naval base. You never know who you'll be sharing the waters with: It's one of the few places you can cruise in proximity to naval warships, although approaching too fast or too closely might get you a "visit" from vigilant security force patrols. You also stop at Fort Wool, which sits on a manmade island in the middle of Hampton Roads Harbor. Partially constructed under Robert E. Lee's direction, Fort Wool played an active role in the Civil War and was the site of the "Battle of the Ironclads."
After returning to the hotel to freshen up, it's time for the Grand Pirate Ball at the Virginia Air & Space Center. As the official kickoff to the Blackbeard Pirate Festival, a requirement for attending is that you wear either appropriate period attire or creative black-tie. Since you don't exactly have any trousers or scarves lying around, you opt for the black-tie, and are surprised to see that you're one of the few attendees not dressed as a pirate. You find yourself wishing you fit in with your fellow buccaneers, but luckily, pirates are a jovial crew and accept you nonetheless. With plenty of grub and grog flowing, the sea chanteys break out and you almost shout, "shiver me timbers," but decide to refrain since you haven't honed your pirate speech. You sleep that night with dreams of swashbuckling sword fights.
You step outside the next morning, geared up for the main attraction. First, you get in the spirit by discovering a pirate's life at sea with the three magnificent tall ships of the past on display. (Nothing will wake you up like walking the plank on a 17th century replica outfitted with the Jolly Roger.) Wandering by the waterfront to Mill Point Park, you see dozens of boats that have arrived for the festival. Some boaters look like they're just stopping in town to see what all the fuss is about, while others look like they've been prepping their boats (and themselves) for days. You head over to the Pirate Cove Stage, where Hampton Mayor Ross Kearney gives festivalgoers an official welcome, and "Gov. Spotswood" (Virginia's governor from 1710-1722, to whom Blackbeard's head was delivered after he was impaled) addresses the crowd. With a cannon salute and the sounds of bagpipes, it's off to the Hampton Blackbeard Pirate Festival.
Everywhere you turn, there's something happening. A swarm of extemporized street skirmishes occur between pirates and militia. Jugglers, musicians, shimmy dancers and street entertainers perform for passers-by. You bump into a Capt. Jack Sparrow look-a-like on the street, who appears as though he really has been out on the high seas for months. Where in the world are all these pirates coming from? They're pouring out of the woodwork. You visit the Little Swashbucklers' Stage for the pirate costume contest, where you're amazed at the hordes of mini-pirates and wenches running around.
After a quick lunch at Oyster Alley on the waterfront, it's time for the Battle of Ocracoke, an
exhilarating re-enactment of the sea battle between Lt. Maynard
and Blackbeard, featuring two full-scale replica vessels in the Hampton Harbor and even some
cannon shots and fighting aboard the ships. During the fight to death, Blackbeard supposedly
sustained some five pistol shots and 20 wounds. (And they say cockroaches are hard to kill!) At the
battle's conclusion, a presentation ceremony takes place, in which Blackbeard's severed head is
bestowed upon Gov. Spotswood. There's even a trial of Blackbeard's crew that afternoon, where the
pirates who are taken prisoner at Ocracoke are paraded through the streets to face hard judgment by
Gov. Spotswood. After the trial, Blackbeard's "booty" from his crew's treasure chest is shared with
the citizens.
Your favorite part of the festival is the Pirate's Cove, where you explore a collection of 17th
and 18th century period vendors. The artisans sell everything from pirate memorabilia and jewelry,
to clothing and personal accessories. Spotting a stand with some excellent tricorne hats, you
debate buying one. Hey, you're getting used to the idea of being a pirate - at least for the time
being. And after all, if you have a little pirate inside you, this is the place to let it out.
However, you're distracted by the sounds coming from Blackbeard's pirate camp, where other pirate
wannabes are learning to load a cannon and use a cutlass. Manned by re-enactors, the camp even has
tents and fires with meat cooking. You pull up a plank and enjoy a cold one at the rustic
1700s-style Bunches of Grapes Tavern, where you dine elbow-to-elbow with pirates, and are served by
bawdy wenches at this recreation of Hampton's original 18th-century bar.
With a newfound appreciation for pirates, you have dinner that evening at Taphouse in downtown Hampton. There, you sample libations from the St. George Brewing Co., a local microbrewery based right in Hampton. After a satisfying meal, you step directly outside and find yourself amidst the action of the Saturday Summer Street Fest, a block party that's one of the region's most popular weekly summer events. Even the Street Fest seems to be overrun by pirates of all ages.
No pirate festival would be complete, however, without a blatant display of black powder pirate
booty (a.k.a. fireworks), so you head up to the Virginia Air & Space Center's observation deck
for the Blackbeard Fireworks Party. Unfortunately, high winds and dry conditions don't allow for
the display. Nonetheless, the bright lights from the Hampton Harbor and waterfront contrasting with
the black night sky is a spectacular sight in and of itself. With music and refreshments, you enjoy
the end of
a wonderful trip alongside your new buccaneer friends as you swap a few merry yarns. After
this festive experience of the high seas, you'll never think of pirates in quite the same way. Who
knows? You may just have to return next year to get that hat and unleash your inner
pirate.