In October of 1973, the Fernandina Pirates Club, Inc. was organized as a not for profit, under the Laws of the State of Florida, who’s membership “shall be limited to persons not under 19 years of age who have an interest in promoting the annual Shrimp Festival and in promoting good community relationships in the city of Fernandina Beach and Nassau County and in developing the historical background of Pirates in Fernandina Harbor.”
As we prepare for the 52nd Annual Isle of Eight Flags Shrimp Festival, the Pirates are proud to hold proclamations from both Fernandina Beach and Nassau County, Florida recognizing the group as their “Goodwill Ambassadors to the World.”
Original pirate surnames include some you may recognize like Daugherty, Purvis, Bayer, Hall, Thweatt, Coker, Waas, Adams, Smith and more. Their vision to create a corporation with perpetual existence permits officers to come and go while the group continues to create long term goals which now include two road worthy parade floats, two annual scholarships, monthly blood drives and our holiday Adopt-a-Family programs.
Pirate members are made up entirely of volunteers and while they offer an abundance of support to the Shrimp Festival, these friendly marauders can be found year ‘round reading to the children at the Peck Center, entertaining seniors at Savannah Grand, and promoting our community by traveling the Southeast with their parade floats.
As the holidays draw near, you can expect to see a multitude of Pirates at these upcoming community events:
November 28th, Downtown Fernandina Beach Pajama Party, 7:30 to 11:00 am
Novemer 29th, Selling S’mores at the Fernandina Tree Lighting, noon to 7:00 pm
December 6th, Callahan Christmas Parade, 11:00 am
December 13th, Yulee Christmas Parade, 10:00 am
December 13, 2014 Fernandina’s Lighted Christmas Parade, 6:00 pm