Events

68th Annual Billy Bowlegs Pirate Festival set to invade Fort Walton Beach – May 16-20

The 68th Annual Billy Bowlegs Pirate Festival is set to take over Fort Walton Beach from May 16-20, 2024. The family-friendly, pirate-themed celebration will feature a variety of events and activities throughout the weekend.

Jared Williams

The 68th Annual Billy Bowlegs Pirate Festival is set to take over Fort Walton Beach from May 16-20, 2024. The family-friendly, pirate-themed celebration will feature a variety of events and activities throughout the weekend.

The festivities begin on Thursday evening with a Pre-Invasion pirate meet and greet from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Ferry Road SE, between Burrito del Sol and Parlor Doughnuts. Downtown Fort Walton Beach will also host a Little Scallywag Pirate Walk for aspiring young pirates to collect treasure from local businesses.

City of Fort Walton Beach Public Information Office

The official festival starts at 5 p.m. Friday evening at the Fort Walton Beach Landing, with vendors, food trucks, and live music by The Midnight Shepherds. At approximately 7 p.m., Captain Billy Bowlegs is expected to engage in a brief skirmish with Mayor Dick Rynearson.

The evening will conclude with a fireworks show over Santa Rosa Sound at 8:45 p.m.

On Saturday, the festival resumes at 10 a.m. at the Fort Walton Beach Landing, featuring more vendors, food trucks, and live music. The highlight of the day will be Captain Billy’s return with his pirate crew to storm the city around 3:30 p.m. and celebrate with locals until 7 p.m.

The festival will conclude on Monday evening with the Greater Fort Walton Beach Chamber’s Torchlight Parade up Eglin Parkway, starting at 7 p.m. The parade will showcase more than 100 floats and participants, with Captain Billy and the entire Krewe of Bowlegs aboard their five floats, anchoring the parade to celebrate their 68th annual capture of Fort Walton Beach.

For a complete schedule of events, visit billybowlegsfestival.com.

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