Plymouth Pirates Weekend 2024

Over 41,000 visitors attended the 13th Plymouth Pirates Weekend held across the waterfront recently, in what organisers, Plymouth Waterfront Partnership (PWP), have hailed ‘the best, busiest Plymouth Pirates Weekend yet’.

The hugely popular annual swashbuckling weekend (held on the 18th and 19th May) included a packed programme of family-friendly activities stretching across the entire waterfront, from the historic Barbican to the Royal William Yard. This year’s event also included the UK’s first ever Pirate Fun Run and had the impressive Galeon Andalucia as a backdrop berthed alongside on the Barbican Landing Stage.

Jon Walton, CEO, Plymouth Waterfront Partnership:

“This year’s Plymouth Pirates Weekend was the best attended yet, even despite Mother Nature’s best efforts with heavy rain and thunderstorms on the Saturday afternoon! Thankfully we have many indoor venues in which to take shelter!

“Each year we strive to build on the success of previous years to make sure we’re able to offer as much entertainment, activities and fun for all the family that spans even more areas of the waterfront.

“The build-up and excitement to the annual Pirates weekend starts many months before the actual event via social media and digital platforms, and looking at the stats for this year, well they are just bonkers with engagement up over 50% from 2023!

“A huge thank you must go to all the people who made Pirates Weekend such as success this year, including my colleague Kim [Downer], the Plymouth City Council events team and our brilliant extended team within PWP. The collaborative effort is simply outstanding and shows what a great city Plymouth is. Massive thanks to our wonderful waterfront businesses, without whom this event would not take place. We hope all visitors had a great time. Arrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!”

The Pirate Fun Run, the UK’s first, held on Sunday 19th May, and in partnership with local company Taurus Events, attracted over 200 entrants who either walked, jogged or ran the specially designed 3km course taking in the historic Barbican and spectacular views across the waterfront. Thank you to Professor Jacqui Stedmon for starting the race.

Plymouth Waterfront Partnership will shortly be handing just over £1,900 to Jeremiah’s Journey, PWP’s charity of the year – this figure includes £1,100 raised from the Pirates Fun Run along with £850 raised from PWP’s hugely popular Brainiac event held over Easter.

Plans are already underway for next year’s Plymouth Pirates Weekend – mark your calendars, the swashbuckling event will return in May 2025.