Diosa De Cancion

We've been there recently, yes they do sound great :) Nothing like a few good sword clashes to get an evening going!

This looks like it was absolutely fabulous! I am looking through the pictures taking notes as I prepare for Pirates in Paradise in Key West and the Port Royal encampment :)

sick and tired of some people spreading things they shouldn't

Hmm.... Maybe you were not around at your booth for part of the weekend, but when Michael Lampe did his presentation on Hollywood pirates, there was a full speaker room, we followed him with Hurricane's Port Royal presentation and had a full room(with many different people) as did many other speakers. Members of our crewe were attending many of the sessions and were not the only folks sitting in the room...there were others as well. As for people not knowing where you all were, my crewe (which were not a part of the organization of the event this year) volunteered to make our way about the hotel and tell people where things were. when people showed up in the lobby we sent them to both vendor rooms. I also made hourly announcements upstairs(while standing on a chair in the bigger vendor room) letting people know what sessions were coming up and where they were. I know there is no way for you to have known that being downstairs, but I thought you should know, we were sending people down there... that doesn't mean they stopped at your booth, but they were sent that way. You were in front of THE speakers room. there was no other speakers room this year, and every speakers event was in that room. there was pretty much one every hour (one of the flaws we noticed is that they were not set up with 10 minute breaks so we had to set up really really fast to do our presentation) I don't know how many first year events you have been to, but I think there was a job very well done for a first year event being put together by a handful of people. a lot of crap doesn't work the first time around. But the people I talked to that attended seemed to enjoy it, and sure there are PLENTY of things that could be improved on, but it's all about living and learning. if you expected to make a killing at a first year event, you should know better. 1st year events are networking opportunities and a chance to get a feel for a location and what may happen. I suppose we won't be seeing your next year. ISP is in fact doing it. While they had a small staff for this year, they used Pyrate Con 2007 to recruit people to have a larger staff(and therefore more people to keep things from falling through the cracks) for next year. Diosa

Yes Capn William, we shall be there! Our whole crewe is already planning on it! We also are going to try to have two tracks of exhibits,speeches,etc.... one for the more fantasy and hollywood pyrate types and the other for Those who are looking more for the historical info. Since the theme is Port Royal Related we thought there should be a lot of historical offerings, I will have to see if Kass is available for some costuming sessions :)

Hey Kass, Any thoughts on what 'up-do's would be best??? for those of us skipping on the caps :)

Ahoy Spike! Diosa here (or the Mary Read you were taunting in the streets if that better hits your memory) My crewe were the ones who wanted to do the shcool or library events. We have done fully costumes library reading days in the past before PIP we've also done school visits. We just need a contact down there who can find out who would like us and when. We're even up for performing for a retirement home and doing a little music and merriment there as well. If you know of places who need us, let me know. You can write back here, PM me, or e-mail me at diosa@piratesofthecoast.com

I don't know if you want a list of everyone on our crewe by name... but we have at least 5-7 more so far who are going...

Part of our crewe will be there! We just got confirmation that we will be hosting the Port Royal Past/Present panel discussion, and I slip back into character as Mary Read for part of a panel on Female Pirates :) We will also be setting up shop in the vendor area. Woo Hoo Nawlins Here we come!!!!

Woo hoo!! I just saw the guide to women's clothing and did the (not very period) snoopy dance. Thanks so much. I sent that link to all my girls who want an idea of what to wear and were starting to think about making items for next year.

As Hurricane and I were ordering more patterns we went through your current how-to's and informational pages and thought they were great! Keep up the wonderful work. I also enjoyed how you got into doing what you do :)

Either that or you'll hear incoherent grumbling and pacing outside your tent until you come to and start brewing... then we can translate the grumbling to english :)

No we're not a 501c, we're a group of performers, but we have a very strong public service calling. We do a lot of service events because of the sheer joy of taking part! There's nothing like making folks smile....so for charity events we go gratis.. Even when we're 'paid performers' we generally only take enough to pay our expenses... If we do this for too much pay, it becomes like work :) That's also how we draw quality people in to do this, they don't expect anything in return, just the love of being together, performing, and bringing a smile to faces...as a matter of fact a half dozen of them are playing music behind me right now :) I am not sure which groups are down that way... we're about 7 hours away, but it's worth the drive :)

Hey Kass, Dunno what Harry has to say about it, but if he's good with it, we would LOVE to have you in our company with coffee. I know my wenches would be waiting for you to rise in the morning and have that wonderus liquid flowing!!!!

Also the library loves when we come by and read to the kiddies and we saw some of them show up at the Fort......... we also did an elementary school... It was 2nd and 3rd graders.... and they were great! We told them a little about being a pirate and life on a ship.... let them ask a lot of questions....did some songs together. We did those events on the Wednesday and Thursday of the week leading up to the festival opening on Friday. We're in for any of that again in '07 Our crewe also wants to go to a retirement home this year and entertain....consider it taking the festival to those who can't get out to it!

A lot of things are still up in the air since the fest is still being put together, but we'll let you know when we know more...

Thanks Harry! With all that sorted out and the final word down on the encampment, let me offer our plan for our crewe's educational presentations.... Our crewe is planning on doing a 1675-1685 ish time period encampment... Port Royal.... It is the height of buccaneer power in the Caribbean. We will talk about the influence buccaneers had on the expansion of English interests in the Caribbean at that time. Keep in mind at the time Port Royal was the major stronghold that the British had in a VERY Spanish envionment. While we will be able to talk about the 'meat roasting' buccaneers, this is out of that time period.... (things started shifting from that focus on Tortuga, to Port Royal in 1670) This is also the time that Henry Morgan was taking his role over in Port Royal and essentially trying to turn it into a little England....So we will have Hurricane as Morgan. I shall take on the crazy sewing endeavor of making a dress so I can be on Morgan's arm as Elizabeth(the rest of the time I will happily take on a role of one of the guys...much more comfortable clothing...) We will also do a little 'future telling' with a display on the earthquake that was to come in 1692 and change the face of trade and piracy in the Caribbean. We'll come up with the appropriate signage to let folks know who we are and what we represent.... Those are our rough thoughts on our crewe's beginning plans..... I'm off to do more research.... Who's next for show and tell on their story ideas?? :)

Ah Hawkyns..... For the first time I find myself drawn to making a frock coat out of velvet penne.... just for you.... I have never had such an odd desire before... nonetheless.... this is Key West.... this is a PUBLIC festival that is more flexible than what you seem to be after.... You can't pretend there have been no movies or Hollywood pirates becuase the kids and even adult patrons for that matter ask about them. I love having one or two hollywood pirates around to show the difference between reality and fiction when we're being asked questions. No problem! Harry has already say NO JURYING!!!!! maybe you missed that.... but it does happen to be his gig...at the fort he runs..... I think he may have an eensy bitsy say as to how things will be going.... He has made the decision... live with it.. or go somewhere else.... Let's remember some of the goals of this fest according to Harry "Host a gathering of folks who understand history and enjoy reenacting a particular time period--in this case, pirates covering the period 1675 to 1725" This can be done without looking at every thread count...and to get the general idea across. if some want to be more preceise, WONDERFUL! and feel free to teach the others who may not be so perfect... but don't kick them to the curb for it. "Raise money to aid in the rehabilitation of Fort Taylor" The more pirates.... the more activities... the more the draw and the more the money rolls in. If we are restricting pirates to super tight standards... it's going to be impossible to get enough pirates there... it's already hard enough considering the costs related with getting to Key West... "Have fun!" Maybe going to person to person on gusset patrol does it for you, but not so much for the masses.... Diosa PS God help the one of you that tries to toss me from my encampment anytime in the future..... Please note the Mary Read Pic of me posted by Hurricane above to see what you'll be up against....

Captain Jim, We would be setting up a camp. We have not put together the scenario, but it would be A. as a place to stay on grounds and then B. for educational purposes. It will also be up to what Harry would like and where he would like it.... I'll go with his thoughts.... As you may know , there is a smoked pig for the final night, and if Ant and the other guys who are doing that would like to set it up in our area to slow roast, we're all over that.... works for me! That would also be up to Harry's discretion though as he may or may not want that going on in his fort grounds... He does have to be able to clean everything up and have an open fort the day after we wrap up camp on Sunday.

I'm a little behind in posting here, but I feel compelled to respond to Silkie's comment about charging tourists for photos. I like to think we're out representing the fort when we're in town... and especially for those who are taking advantage of the kindness of Harry to allow us to camp there and save $$$ We should offer ourselves for photos. I know our crewe posed for literally hundreds of pictures as we strolled around town. We never asked for money, but we used each opportunity to invite people to the fort to enjoy the rest of the festival....

Hey Harry, Would there not be an option for both the Buccaneer and GAOP eras? Our crew could do Bucaneer over by where out shop was this year...and the other folks stay in their front corner. Aside from being Mary for the Trial, Hurricane and I know all about Port Royal and the pyrate trade pre 1692 and can bring maps, displays, etc to go with our encampment... if we are pushed into GAOP we'll be a lot more boring, just essentially setting up camp....

Eventually Anne and I are brought in and stuck in jail inside the fort walls... Our crewe, being the great men they are, try all sorts of ways to get us out... in the first two, Hurricane is lowering a net for Crispy to use to try and wrap up the guards...then when the guards are distracted.... Crispy tries to pry the lock open with a sword. under the category of 'proper and period' photos...here are a few sketches.... Don Maitz sketched me as Mary Read in jail and this is the sketch Janny Wurtz did of the trial...so I have the husband wife set!! How cool is that!! There are other photos, but they have not been uploaded yet.....

You asked for pictures.... here they come...some of them at least... Here are some shots of our crewe out on the Schooner Wolf for the Walk the Plank Championship A good shot of some Rad Coats making their way across the grounds at the fort. Then Friday afternoon it started raining and what better to do than play music! Onto the Saturday morning and the trial of Anne Bonny and Mary Read an hour before the trail Bawdy Be(as Anne) and yours truly(as Mary) were captured and dragged through the streets of Key West More to come.....

Aye, I also try to do the same... Luckily this forum is a great place to find all sorts of vendors and we all can help one another!

Thanks! I dropped a comment on their website, and will wait to hear back...