Welcome to Pirates Week 2008

In the Cayman Islands, a country known in the Caribbean for its strong economy, friendly people, and crystal clear sea, we are also unique in our national festival, Pirates Week, which dips into the past to stage a wide-ranging celebration that is attended by thousands every year in early November.

Although the age of piracy was virtually over when Cayman was being settled, we have drawn on that era to create a fantasy that may not be based on Caymanian history but is an appealing and entertaining part of our annual celebration. If this is your first exposure to Pirates Week, let me point out that it's not just fireworks, parades and street dances, but a week of partying and celebrating that will stay in your memory forever.

In the wake of the roar and thunder and colour of the Saturday opening "Pirate invasion", the country goes on to spend the ensuing week by flocking to the heritage displays in our rural districts, away from town, each with its own attractions and each with an energetic evening burst of Caribbean music and fireworks. In addition to all that, the country-wide support for the festival is such that the week offers various sporting activities, children's events, and family-oriented functions in a pastiche that is truly "something for everyone."

Please, however, remember: DON'T DRINK AND DRIVE, and DON'T DO DRUGS. Whether you're here for the first time, or back for some more enjoyment, there are many bonuses in Pirates Week (for one, it's actually eleven days long) and I invite you to enjoy them all. The famed Caymanian hospitality is at its peak during our national festival; take it in; enjoy it; tell your friends about it.

Dave Martins
Executive Director of Pirates Week