Pirate Festival

Historical & Fantasy Fun Pirate & Nautical Lore! Fun for the whole family!

The 2nd annual IOWA-MINNESOTA PIRATE FESTIVAL will take place on August 9-10-11th at PM Park, South Shore Clear Lake. On August 3rd from 1pm to 5pm, there will be a 'treasure hunt' to promote the event on the PM Park & Tiki Bar grounds. Numerous gift prizes and free tickets can be found hidden there.

On Friday night August 9th from 7pm to 10pm there will be the festival kick-off "Pirate Party" with entertainment by Hardtack Jack (pub band) from the Minnesota Renaissance Festival, fire-dancers, a magician and The Cabin Boys. There will also be a costume contest with prizes. A $3 cover charge will be required.

Then on Saturday and Sunday from 11am to 6pm it's all hands on deck for the full festival, which will include three stages of entertainment, a food court, drinks & libations, a hundred costumed port village characters, hands-on activities like knife-tossing and archery, kids games such as Capt. Sharkey's Fish Pond, historical demonstrations, nautical exhibits and a merchants bazaar and artisan marketplace.

This "family fun" event will feature both historical and fantasy pirates. Some of the in-coming headliners will be Crazy Boy Coy from the Kansas City Renaissance Faire, Lord Drake's Mystic Magic from the Des Moines Renaissance Faire, Evangard Improv from the Midlands Pirate Festival, the Bawdy Buccaneers from the Nebraska Renaissance Faire, Swords & Shenanigans from the Iowa Renaissance Festival, Shattock Schoole of Defense from Iowa City and Pyrates of Portobello from Minneapolis. New and unique this year will be Minnesota Jack Sparrow and his cannon shooting game, the Blue Mermaid in water tank, the Pink Pirate's Bubble Machine and the Jester Puppet's "Punch & Judy Show" which won the award for 'Best New Act', this year.

 "There will also be children's costume contests and various treasure hunt surprises through-out the day," points out event producer Gregory Schmidt.

Admission is $7.50 for adults, $5 for kids 6 to 13, with tots free. Parking will be free, and be mostly found across South Shore Drive on the hill.

The Iowa-Minnesota Pirate Festival is a fundraiser for the Quarters For Quarters charity.  This new effort to provide beds and lodging for the area's children and single mothers is coordinated by Clear Lake Lodge #187 of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, I.O.O.F.

PM Park & Tiki Bar are located at 15297 Raney Drive, next to Clear Lake Boats. The park restaurant and Tiki Bar will be open for public access during the festival hours.

For festival details go to www.iowaminnesotapiratefest.com or contact greg@festint.com  tel. (641) 357-5177.