On Saturday, October 5, 2024, PiratePalooza celebrated its twentieth anniversary — two decades of invasions, shanties, reels, and great memories. What began as a small pub crawl in 2005 became a local tradition, thanks to all of the wonderful characters and talented artists who have participated down through the years.
Mounting Challenges
Over the past two decades it has become increasingly difficult to secure a foothold for PiratePalooza in Decatur, as the city’s fall calendar has grown busier and busier.
What was once a sleepy stretch between summer and the holidays is now crowded with festivals, markets, concerts, and civic events that claim the square nearly every weekend from September through November.
Every year requires more negotiation, flexibility, and a bit of luck to weave a pirate invasion into a calendar that is already bursting at the seams, a challenge that underscores just how precious and precarious our annual invasion of Decatur has become.
This year the Palooza was requested to sail wide of the Brick Store pub and was nearly defeated by a BOOK FESTIVAL!
Gathering the Fleet at Twain’s
Per tradition, the day began at Twain’s Brewpub & Billiards, where scallywags of every description began drifting in to swap stories and chart the day’s invasion. Tankards were drained, plots were hatched, and the air was thick with anticipation of mischief to come.
March of the Invasion
In the 3 o’clock hour Captain Drew clambered up on a bench to read the invasion orders, and under a warm sun the pirates began their invasion of Decatarrrr with banners high and boots stomping – walking straight into a carnival of books.
The plaza was covered with tents filled with books and those tents stretched well off into the distance.
There were books stacked on books stacked on books!
And the Ghost of Commodore Stephen Decatur was nowhere to be seen!
The Virginia Fail
Every pirate quarrel must be settled, and at Palooza there is only one acceptable combat: the Virginia Reel! For almost 20 years Israel Hands has called the dance as rival crews sashayed and reeled in front of Commodore Decatur’s ghost.
But this year the best we could manage was a hasty trot in a parking lot beside Mister Eddie’s Attic.
It was just awful, y’all.
Licking Our Wounds at O’Sullivan’s
Embarrassed and winded, our invasion turned to O’Sullivan’s Irish Pub for safe anchorage. This reliable old standard became home base for the afternoon’s shore leave. Pints flowed freely, songs were sung, and plans were whispered for a daring breakout mission to the Marlay House—the very site of the first Palooza back in 2004.
Mission to the Angel
Not every pirate braved the long march to the Marlay, but those who did raised a glass in honor of where this madcap voyage began. The rest held the fort at O’Sullivan’s, waiting for the raiding party to return.
The Pub Sing at Wild Heaven
As twilight fell, our ragtag fleet set sail for Wild Heaven in Avondale Estates, where the great 20th Anniversary Pub Sing awaited, featuring a star-studded lineup—Tenpenny Traveler, Shipwreckers, Three Quarter Ale, Old Road Silk Road, Caroline & Makenzie, Toucan Dubh, and the Barehead Bards raised the roof. Voices boomed, fiddles squealed, and the night turned into one long, raucous chorus of twenty years’ worth of memories.
Despite the changes that the Palooza faced in its 20th year, the evening was filled with love and appreciation for everyone who were able to spend time recognizing our silly accomplishment.
20th Anniversary Swag
Although they were mentioned to the crew, Captain Drew flew the coop as soon as the Palooza was ended and doesn’t seem to remember ever having mentioned producing 20th Anniversary shirts and it’s an open question as to whether those collectors’ items will ever appear!!?
What’s Next for PiratePalooza?
For two decades, PiratePalooza has thrived because of you; the ridiculous family of pirates who refuse to let this invasion fade. Raise a glass to the future, whatever it might hold.
Captain Drew seems tired, and nothing lasts forever, but the old girl may yet have some life in her yet.
Time will tell!
