Every October, a band of ruthless pirates takes over the city of Boynton Beach. Boynton Beach Pirate Fest & Mermaid Splash is a beloved two-day free event held during the weekend before Halloween. East Ocean Avenue transforms into a fantasy Hobb’s Cove, with a medieval encampment and a pirate ship full of buccaneers, live mermaids in a tank, as well as a vintage marketplace full of artisans and craftsmen.
The fun festival for all ages features plenty of adventures: live music, pirate reenactments, magic shows, interactive mermaid tanks, and much more. The culmination occurs on Saturday at 1:30 pm, when bold pirates attempt their epic invasion, followed by Royal Haunt, a satirical wedding between representatives of rival dynasties. Vendors have food and beverages on offer, while soothing melodies ring out from mysterious Merlandia.
A diverse live music lineup includes bands like Blues Dragon, Magic City Hippies, The Craic, Making Faces, Professor Pennygoode’s Mighty Flea Circus, Gravel Kings, Slip & The Spinouts, The Bawdy Boys Celtic Mayhem, and others. Entertainment also features magic, tarot card and palm reading, fairies, jugglers, acrobats, and the Miss Mermaid Pageant.
