COVID, economics and a state law put Pirate Fest on hold, but it's back in Boynton Beach

Pirate Fest, the signature event in Boynton Beach, has returned after several on-and-off years sparked by the pandemic, along with big changes to the way the event is funded and organized.

The emergence of COVID-19 led to the first cancellation of Pirate Fest in 2020. The beloved event returned one year later, before again going away in 2022 — not because of the virus, but because of changes to state law.

The Boynton Beach Community Redevelopment Agency, or CRA, organized Pirate Fest every year, spending months on planning and hundreds of thousands of dollars on entertainment, activities and vendors for the event.

That was acceptable at the time, according to some state leaders, but things changed.

Initially, the City of Sanford CRA asked Florida's attorney general if money could be spent on festivals or street parties designed to promote tourism and economic development, and the response in 2010 gave CRAs the green light to spend money on "promotion of a redeveloped area once the infrastructure has been completed."

And when listing the ways in which CRAs were allowed to spend money, state law previously used the words, "including, but not limited to," leaving room for flexibility. After lawmakers did away with that wording in 2019, the Florida Redevelopment Association advised local CRAs that money "can no longer be spent on promotional and marketing activities."

Following the change to state law, Boynton Beach's CRA looked at transitioning Pirate Fest — including most of the planning and funding responsibilities — to the city, but the pandemic brought that process to a halt.

When the transition was again supposed to take place in 2022, Boynton Beach commissioners, who also serve as board members on the CRA, said there wasn't enough time for the city to plan and budget for such a large event, so they put it on hold.

This year, city staff began planning for Pirate Fest in February, starting the process of budgeting and negotiating with vendors early. Boynton Beach approved a budget of $380,000 for the event, while the CRA approved a budget of $85,000, said Chelsea Sanabia, a spokesperson for the city.

Pirate Fest, an award-winning event that draws tens of thousands of people, is meant to spur local spending and economic growth in the area. But the event comes with an eye-popping price tag, said Mayor Ty Penserga, and while many are excited for its return, he hopes to see concrete data on whether Boynton Beach is actually getting a return on its investment.

"The intent of this event is to drive the local economy. I have been asking for evidence and I want that to be part of the planning," the mayor said of future events.

As for this year, Pirate Fest will run from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on both Saturday and Sunday. Here's everything visitors need to know about the food, entertainment, activities and parking:

Reggae, rock, country and other live music planned for Pirate Fest

Live music is planned from open to close, with performances taking place at two locations: Centennial Park, located next to City Hall, and the Encampment, a section of the event near East Ocean Avenue and Third Street.

With a dozen bands scheduled throughout the two-day event, lovers of all music genres are sure to find something they like. Here are the options on Saturday:

• The Bard and Minstrels Band, scheduled from 10 a.m. to noon at Centennial Park, packages comedy, music and debauchery into every performance.

• The Low Ground Band, scheduled from 10 a.m. to noon at the Encampment, plays music inspired by bluegrass, swing, folk, rock, blues, jazz, and jam.

• Spider Cherry, scheduled for 12:30 p.m. to 2:30 pm at Centennial Park, describes itself as "the kind of live band that makes it difficult to stay in your seat, often reworking old standards with a youthful spin and infectious groove."

• Vibes Farm, scheduled for 12:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. at the Encampment, fuses reggae, rock, rap and "psychedelic jams" into feel-good music.

• The People Upstairs, scheduled from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. at Centennial Park, plays a mix of party funk, reggae, soul, rock and Latin.

• The Latitudes, scheduled from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. at the Encampment, is known for "tropical party rock," a blend of rock, reggae, funk and country music.

And here are the options on Sunday:

• The Bard and Minstrels Band, scheduled from 10 a.m. to noon at Centennial Park, will return to the stage and open day two of Pirate Fest.

• Alive Beat, scheduled from 10 a.m. to noon at the Encampment, stirs rock, pop, dance and disco into high-energy performances.

• The Joey Calderaio Band, scheduled from 12:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. at Centennial Park, plays reggae-rock music for audiences throughout South Florida.

• Making Faces, scheduled from 12:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. at the Encampment, has coined the term "Roggunk," a blend of rock, reggae, and funk.

• The Fire Brigade, scheduled from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. at Centennial Park, is a high-energy rock band full of Miami-Dade firefighters.

• Paul Anthony & The Reggae Souljahs, scheduled from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. at the Encampment, plays reggae, dancehall and Top 40 hits.

Boynton Beach's Pirate Fest offers free, family-friendly entertainment, activities, food and artisan vendors

Pirate Fest includes six themed areas along East Ocean Avenue, between Seacrest Boulevard and the train tracks near Fourth Street. And each area includes live entertainment for people of all ages.

Ronin Taiko, a Japanese Drum Troupe, will perform several times throughout the day at the Buccaneers Stage. That stage will also host separate costume contests for kids and adults.

Hips of Destruction, a touring belly dance troupe, will hold several performances at the Dark Waters Stage, as will the Blackbeards Kids Show.

Sky Pirates and the Wheel of Death will demonstrate daring stunts at the Field of Danger. And at Mermaid Cove, children can enjoy games and crafts, along with mermaid encounters.

Royal Artillery Cannons will sound off throughout the day at the Encampment, amid the roaming pirate crews, and Centennial Park will offer face painting, sword fighting and other free entertainment.

This year's Pirate Fest also includes more than three dozen artisan vendors with clothes, accessories, pet goods and unique art pieces.

And nearly two dozen food vendors will offer a host of snacks and hearty meals, including hibachi, tacos, BBQ, smash burgers, Jamaican food, gourmet macaroni and cheese, ice cream and roasted nuts.

For a full entertainment schedule and list of vendors, visit boynton-beach.org, navigate to the calendar and click on "Pirate Fest."

Expect street closures, public parking spaces and shuttle services at Boynton Beach's 2023 Pirate Fest

Using a rideshare service, such as Lyft or Uber, can help attendees beat the large crowds and traffic headaches. But several parking options are available to those who drive. That includes four areas with free, public parking:

• 100 E. Boynton Beach Blvd.

• 115 N. Federal Hwy.

• 145 NE Fourth Ave.

• Public street parking along SE/NE Fourth Street

A free shuttle will also run from 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the following locations:

• 3301 Quantum Blvd.

• Ezell Hester Center

• Carolyn Sims Center

• Senior Center

• Pence Park

Residents and visitors can also expect road closures in the area. The closures will span from Thursday morning to Monday afternoon, allowing event planners to set up and break down this year's Pirate Fest.

Giuseppe Sabella is a reporter covering Boynton Beach and Lake Worth Beach at The Palm Beach Post, part of the USA TODAY Florida Network. You can reach him at gsabella@pbpost.com. Help support our journalism and subscribe today

This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Pirate Fest returns to Boynton Beach after pandemic, budget challenges