As it was my first time to a pirate festival of any sort, (I’ve
been assured, there are many) I had some learning to do. First off, you can’t get
away with simply waltzing through in your renfaire costume, even if you plop a
tricorn on your head. Pirates are
passionate about outfit details, down to the material your billowy period shirt
is made of. Second, pirate speak is difficult to execute well, but hilarious to
do wrong, unless of course, you happen to be talking to one of the aforementioned
detail-oriented pirates. In this case, you might come to be addressed as a
yeasty codpiece. Finally, fairs like this one present the perfect opportunity
to drink, act surly, and shameless hit on everyone you pass. Since this is
basically my M.O. I’m in total support of this behavior, however I did notice one
disturbing trend. On a couple of occasions, this light-hearted jostling became
pointed insults and not of the pirate-y variety, (athankyou) but more along the
lines of drunk asshole. Perhaps I was just encountering a natural response to
the Steampunk invasion of a pirate gathering?
Well, turns out that despite existing on the very fringe of
the pirate world-map, our steampunk esthetic was embraced warmly at this festival.
It may be that edgy reinvented Victorian designs strike a chord with the outlaw
pirate crowd. Steampunk Hatter harnesses the sex appeal of the high-fashion
aristocrat but accosts “proper” sensibilities by incorporating leather,
hardware, and asymmetry. Stick that in your ascot, gov’ner.
I was pleased to meet a number of festival goers who were
familiar with our work, and a delight to talk to. I’ve met some fantastic
people over the last year, and I’m thrilled when familiar customers stop by.
So who should go to Nor Cal Pirate festival? I would recommend it to anyone looking for a
weekend of free fun. There is plenty of family-friendly entertainment including
stage shows, cannon fire, live story plots unfolding about the crowd, and
costumes galore. Adults will revel in the occasional sexy outfit and
respectable grog selection! http://www.norcalpiratefestival.com/
A special thanks to the lovely Euphrates who worked her
adorable butt off during the show. Making the hatter booth happen takes many
long days of physical labor and mental stamina. She rocked it with a smile.
