The Eastport Pirate Festival will celebrate it's 6th year September 9-11. In the last 6 years it has grown into the largest Pirate Festival in Maine and the Maritimes. It has become one of Maine's largest family events drawing over 10,000 people of all ages to this island community of only 1400. Every year they have been able to take it up a notch adding new and exciting events - 95% of them are free to everyone that comes to participate.

This year the Eastport Pirate Festival will add a spectacular fireworks display on Saturday evening the 10th of September, weather permitting. The fireworks are being sponsored by David Marlow, founder and CEO of Marlow Yachts Limited. Marlow is one of the top builders of yachts in the world. They have been continuously recognized for building some of the best Superyachts on the planet. Marlow was recently awarded the coveted World Superyachts Award for their environmental policies. This Environmental Award was presented to David Marlow during a Gala Evening at the fabulous Fondazione Giorgio Cini in Venice, Italy.

"The World Superyachts Awards are presented annually and the elite judging panel is comprised of owners, project managers, captains, naval architects, shipyard owners and engineers," says Pirate Festival founder John Miller. "Marlow Yachts have pioneered environmentally responsible marine manufacturing on a global basis and we are delighted to have David as a neighbor here in Eastport and part of our festival family.

The fireworks will take place on the historic waterfront over the harbor in the heart of all of the festival activities. At this location mother nature is a true partner in the evening performance. Fireworks firms and spectators alike agree that the historic Eastport Waterfront is the ideal venue for such a dazzling event. Imagine a majestic natural setting of a beautiful harbor and a backdrop of a dozen or so magical islands in the distance. What a setting! What an atmosphere!

Nowhere else do fireworks teams have the opportunity to tap the potential of such a stunning natural setting to create instants of pure enchantment. Along the downtown corridor of Eastport there is room for thousands of spectators to sit and enjoy the evening performance for free.

The first Eastport Pirate Festival was born 6 years ago over coffee and watching the sunrise over the historic island harbor. "With no budget and just a few volunteers we were delighted and amazed to see over 1000 people arrive for that first year's event," says Miller. Each year it has grown exponentially. We now have a cadre of volunteers that work year round and over 400 people and businesses that donate generously to make sure it remains an event that is free to attend and always growing and getting better. I may have planted the seed, but this incredible community of Eastport is truly responsible for the rapid growth of this great event. The Eastport Pirate Festival is pure family fun for all the participants of all ages. It also provides a tremendous boost to our local economy before the snows of the long winter set in."

Last year the Pirate Festival added the first International (Pirate) Lobster Boat Race. Lobster Boat Racing is big on the coast of Maine and their race included invitations to Lobstermen from Canada thus making it the only International Lobster Boat Race in the world. The Eastport Pirate Lobster Boat Race drew the top names in Lobster Boat Racing including the fastest in the world (70 MPH), owned by Galen Alley of Jonesport, Maine. The Lobster Boat Race will be back this year with even more boats. The pageantry, adrenalin and excitement that filled Eastport's harbor last year was nothing short of spectacular.

Without a doubt, The Eastport Pirate Festival has become one of the top marquee events for the end of summer in all of Maine and Atlantic Canada.

In addition to the fireworks being added this year they will also add skydivers dressed as pirates to the Invasion of Lubec on September 3rd. The Pirate Invasion of Lubec kicks off the Festival the weekend before by Land, Sea and Air. They will also add an Eastport Pirate Festival Fiddle Contest to the line-up of entertainment. The fiddle was used on Pirate Ships and other ships throughout history to create the rhythm for rowing in still winds, to work on the rigging, hoist the sails, do the chores on deck, head into battle and the all important evening entertainment.

More vendors and quality crafts people are being sought for the 3 day event as well.

The Eastport Pirate Festival organizers are also reaching out to buskers from all over the USA to perform in the streets. Buskers go back to the Middle Ages and are traditional street performers. Buskers offer a wide variety of street theatre including acrobatics, music, visual arts, comedy, fire shows, etc.

Make sure to visit the Eastport Pirate Festival website for updated information, schedule and a list of events at www.eastportpiratefestival.com

For more information on the Eastport Pirate Festival, obtaining a vendor or busker contract - registration form, please contact Chris Brown at 207-853-4343 or John Miller at 800-691-8182.