Hello and AARRGGHH! My name is Bruce Ellis, aka Captain Curry. I am the Owner/Publisher of the Insider of Southern Oregon entertainment newspaper. The Pirates of the Pacific Festival was created a year after I started the paper and is presented yearly by the Insider of S.O. Before moving to Brookings, I spent 10 years living and working in Manassas, Virginia, 8 years of that time I spent as Director of Operations for the Virginia Renaissance Faire. During that time, I learned all the ins and outs of putting on an event held 6 weeks out of the year. In the beginning, we were at a traveling fair, setting up a village in a different town in Virginia. Each weekend we performed until we finally found a permanent home at Lake Anna Winery in Spotsylvania, Va. I was also involved in the design and construction of the village that is still in operation. Shortly after moving to Brookings, I got involved with the Muse Theatrix, a live theater group that also put on a yearly Renaissance Faire. The 2-day event was held in Azalea Park in Brookings before the creators of the event disbanded. The Pirates of the Pacific Festival was created one day shortly after the demise of the Renaissance Faire. While hanging out at the Port of Brookings Harbor with co-founder Mike Moran, aka Captain Squishee, I just started looking at the location and the ocean when it hit me! I turned to Mike and asked him what he thought of putting on a pirate festival instead of a Renaissance Faire and bringing it to the Boardwalk at the Port of Brookings Harbor by the water. He agreed, and after lots of planning and some ups and downs, we are going into our 12th year of bringing 3 days of “piratey” fun to all the locals and tourists alike. I am proud of what the Pirates of the Pacific Festival has become and look forward to bringing more to the event each year. We are blessed to be in operation!

“I’m a Pirate…He’s a Pirate…She’s a Pirate…We’re all Pirates… Wouldn’t you like to be a Pirate too?!!”