Have you heard of Pirate Days in Alexandria Bay? In this post, learn what Pirates Days is, how it got started, and when this yearly event is held.
What are Pirates Days?
Pirate Days is a 9-day long pirate-themed festival held in Alexandria Bay, New York. The festival, depending on the year, might include a real pirate ship, people dressed like pirates who “invade” the village of Alex Bay, and villagers who “defend” their town from the pillaging pirates.
People who attend Pirate Days are encouraged to dress up like pirates, too! At the end-of-festival parade in 2023, there were lots of people who came to watch the small parade who wore pirate hats or more elaborate pirate costumes.
The weekend days of the festival is when you are most likely to see people in pirate costumes. Since Alex Bay is a popular tourist destination in the summer, the restaurants and bars also offer pirate-themed adult beverages and you might catch a few pirates at those locations, too.
Along with the very entertaining mock pirate invasion, there are dozens of other activities included in the festival each year. For example, there is live music, block dancing, face painting, water races, sword fighting, and lots of other things to do.
You can see the current year’s list of events on the Visit Alex Bay dedicated event page for the festival.
When are Bill Johnston’s Pirates Days in 2023?
The dates for the famous Alexandria Bay Bill Johnston’s Pirates Days are from August 11 – August 20, 2023. The festival is typically held around mid-August, and has been shortened from the 11 days to 9 days to get back to the traditional length of the festival.
There are usually family-friendly events held during the day, and the nights are filled with more adult-type fun in the main commercial district of Alexandria Bay.
When was the first Pirates Days?
The first Bill Johnston’s Pirates Days was held at least as far back as 1980, and possibly as far back as 1956. No one knows whether the festival is based on an older tradition in the village, or whether it was just a really fun idea to bring the community together to celebrate a bit of history.
Why is Pirates Days named after Bill Johnston?
You may have heard Pirates Days also called “Bill Johnston’s Pirates Days”. Why is this festival named after him?
No, Bill Johnston is not the owner of the local car dealership.
Bill Johnston was an actual pirate, born in Canada, who in 1838 looted and burned British passenger steamer ship Sir Robert Peel in the St. Lawrence River. It should be noted that he removed the crew and passengers from the ship before destroying and sinking it.
Even though this had not been his original plan, he was hailed as a hero in the Thousand Islands region of New York for this and many other previous attacks on the British in the waters of the St. Lawrence and Lake Ontario. It’s important to remember that this was during and shortly after the War of 1812, which was fought between the US and the British.
The US government charged Johnston with various crimes related to this event and other rebel activities, but no jury would convict him on any serious charge. He was eventually able to convince a President of the United States, after asking a different one and getting no for an answer, to give him a pardon.
British troops searched the waters for him, too, and even got permission to briefly search the Thousand Islands region of New York for him, but they had no luck. As the story goes, the local people helped him hide from authorities.
Johnston ended up living out the end of his days in New York and working as a lighthouse keeper, a position offered to him by the president who had given him the pardon, President William Henry Harrison.
Bill Johnston’s activities against the British made him a local hero of sorts, and so the Alexandria Day Pirates Days serve to commemorate his memory and have a bit of fun at the same time.
Since the Canadian authorities also participated in the search for Johnston, we sometimes see Canadians participating in their part of the reenactment.
Conclusion
I hope that you learned what you were hoping to know about Pirates Days and that you get the chance to visit with your family. It’s a unique experience and a fun tradition.
If you have any questions about something you read here, or if you have been to Pirates Days and want to share a fun story, please join in the discussion below.
Thanks for reading today!