There be Pirates here!

Sunday 7th September marked the first ever Whitby Pirate Day and what is hoped to become an annual event.

We had been asked to take part in this event by Lorraine Smeltzer and Charlotte Herlingshaw, the organisers of the event, and we were only too happy to get involved.

The day is all aimed at raising funds for the Lifeboats - a very worthy cause! And also aimed at being a fun day out for the whole family. The weather was kind to us following almost a week of torrential rain, Sunday dawned bright and clear and Whitby was invaded by pirates!


The event consisted of many activities happening at various places in Whitby itself, the Treasure hunt proved to be popular sending many people off on an impromptu tour of Whitby to seek out the ultimate booty at the end of the trail, face painting and pirate hat making were also very popular with the younger visitors - the materials for the hat making had been kindly donated by Staples.

Also right next to the bandstand where our artists were set to perform we had a band of pirates from The Whitby International Pirate Society who held a treasure dip and a guess the amout of sweets in the jar competition. First prize being a signed Middlesbrough Football Club shirt kindly donated by the club.

First to perform on the bandstand was Andy Broderick. Andy, from Saltburn plays acoustic folk and roots music and he set the scene for the day with style. Playing a range of songs from the traditional folk to contemporary original material he captured the imagination and played beautifully to a very appreciative crowd. Playing at various venues in the North East both as a solo artist and with his band - Brigit's Mantle, Andy is set to become one of the better known performers in the area. You can find out more about Andy and where he is playing by visiting his website.

Following Andy we had Carl Eaton a singer / songwriter from Middlesbrough. Carl played a great set made up of his own, self penned tunes with a few cover songs thrown in for good measure! Carl never fails to delight his audience with his set and today was no exception. His songs have a quality which reaches out to the audience and leaves them wanting to hear more - there is a selection you can listen to on his website. A regular at many venues in and around Middlesbrough and also in London, Carl is now onto his third album and has been hailed as one of the rising stars of Teesside.

Our third artist to perform today was the fantastic Barbara Helen. Barbara performs a range of original material and plays regularly in and around the local area. She plays a beautiful set of songs which blended perfectly with the amazing backdrop of the Whitby coast. Even though the little steam engine managed to make its presence felt on the bandstand by interfering with the equipment, and the rather vocal seagulls who decided to show their appreciation of the day, Barbara put on an incredible performance and continued the high standard set by the previous performances. Do make a point of going to see this lady play live, you can find out more about her and where she will be playing on her website.

The next performance was one by Brother Crow. This act is made up of two men from Weardale - they describe themselves as Weardaliens! Brother Crow play a range of original folk and acoustic roots tunes and are one of the more well known, established acts the region has to offer. They played a full set for us in Whitby incorporating both the acoustic guitar and mandolin and a ten string bazouki! Their songs are inspirational and focus heavily on real life situations taking you through a range of emotions. Graeme and Andy played to a packed bandstand area and put their heart and souls into the performance. They have recently released a new CD - more info can be found on their website.

Finally to end the day we had Carl Jackson, another local singer / songwriter from Middlesbrough. Carl plays a range of his own songs accompanied with an electric guitar and describes himself as a folk / indie artist. We prefer to refer to him as a truly original artist as his material does not fit into any set category. Carl played an upbeat set on the bandstand and finished the day off on a high. Well worth going to see him play live his performance is engaging and incorporates both a serious, meaningful side lightened up with his dry sense of humour. Check him out on his website.

The Whitby Pirate Day website can be found here where you can see what is being lined up for next year and find out how you can get involved in this fantastic event!

We followed the event all day and managed to capture the day with photographs both on and around the bandstand. It has since been confirmed that the day raised over £620 for the Lifeboats and all in all was a huge success. We have already confirmed our involvement for next year and we will be helping to make the event bigger and better! We will be hosting the live entertainment on the bandstand again and also putting on live music on the evening. Do get in touch with us here at North East Live if you would like to be involved in the next Whitby Pirate Day and we hope to see you there next year!