Pirates unwelcome in home port
Promise to show up with or without an invitation
16 comments below
Shiver me timbers -- there just may be a pirates' war brewing in Greenport.
The Greenport Maritime Festival has given the heave ho to the Greenport Maritime Pirates, but the group of colorful marauders is promising to show up with or without an invitation.
And festival organizers -- who have tentatively hired an unidentified pirate troupe for the annual September event -- hope that things don't get messy.
"I offered to do it for free," said Maritime Pirates' creator Jamie Davis, responding to a June 10 e-mail Kelly Logsdon sent on behalf of the East End Seaport Museum and Marine Foundation festival planners.
Mr. Davis, who said he spent months preparing for this year's festival, promised to offer free rides on the Schooner Liberty for up to 80 youths on both days of the Maritime Festival, and when the vessel is in port in July.
Furthermore, Bill Claudio of Claudio's Restaurant in Greenport has offered dock space to Mr. Davis so the Schooner Liberty can bring the Maritime Pirates to Greenport regardless of what the foundation board decides.
George Peter, head of the foundation board, said he wants to ensure that if the other pirates are hired, Mr. Davis' group won't interfere with their shows.
"It's his dock and he can do that," Mr. Peter added, regarding Mr. Claudio's threat to host the Maritime Pirates.
Ms. Logsdon's blunt e-mail to Mr. Davis was enough to make his dress-up raiders cry "hornswaggle."
"We have decided to go with another pirate troupe to perform at the 2009 Maritime Festival," Ms. Logsdon wrote. "The committee has determined that with the new season, the festival needs increased educational and performance opportunities for the festival patrons."
But festival organizers may not have enough booty to foot the bill for the new pirate troupe. The replacement group wants $2,000 for two days of performances.
Festival planners are counting on cash from the Greenport Business Improvement District and various sponsors, Mr. Peter said. Without it, the Maritime Pirates will be invited back, he said.
That decision could be made at the board meeting in early July, he said.
"Right now, we're in a holding pattern," Mr. Peter said.
The Greenport Maritime Pirates have performed at the Maritime Festival since 1998. In some years the pirates received no booty from festival planners; other years they earned an average of $750 per day; and one year, Mr. Davis said, they did receive $2,500.
The money went largely to cover expenses, including food and lodging for the pirate crew, which often numbered more than 75 members, he said.
Festival planners told him he has benefited from his association with the Maritime Festival, having built a troupe that now performs at South Street Seaport in New York City as well as venues across Long Island.
"I was always building a festival," he said of his past contributions to the Maritime Festival, which grew from a three-block event on southern Main Street to a full downtown event.
As for the original decision to disinvite the Greenport Maritime Pirates, Mr. Peter said some new foundation board members wanted program changes.
"Sometimes we just have to change things," he said. The new pirate group promised shows, something Mr. Davis has done in the past along with the impromptu activities his pirates stage in the village streets.
"If you want that, ask me," Mr. Davis said.
jlane@timesreview.com
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16 comments found
Ban them from the island : 9/27/2009
Jamie Davis is a nut-job and the kids who follow him around are losers with nothing better to do with their lives than make pretend they're pirates. They all need to find something of importance to do with their time. I'm repelled by the maritime festival mainly bc of the idiotic pirates.
Pirates & the festival : 6/30/2009
Rather than a war between pirates it would be better that the seaport museum put seaport back into the festival. It has long been a "seedy" flea market experience with very little, but the events having anything to be proud of...Jobbers selling junk and even local businesses putting their worst foot forward as to what they market curbside.... Perhaps by next year we can put the pirate venue into a coordinated and juried local arts and crafts festival, with no manufactured "stuff"- Our Village has changed - and we deserve to celebrate our Maritime History in a manner we can all be proud of.
NEW PIRATES : 6/23/2009
Who are they. Please leave your name so I can go see you. I really think we need some new pirates as this Mr. Davis has been doing the same old thing for too many years now. Hoe many times can you watch the same thing. I say yeah to the new blood and please old pirates of Mr. Davis don't bother these new ones after all don't we want to teach our children tolerance respect and acceptance of all peoples and well pirates too.
NEW PIRATES : 6/23/2009
WHO TOLD THE PRESS ABOUT THE MONEY. I THINK THAT CERTAIN PEOPLE IN THIS TOWN ARE JUST PLAIN SILLY. HAVE SOME OFYOU FORGOTTEN THAT YOU "UNINVITED" MR. DAVIS AS HE HAS ATTITUDAL ISSUES AND DELIVERS THE SAME SUBSTANDARD SHOW EACH YEAR. I SUGGEST THAT YOU ALL GO AND SEE "THESE NEW GUYS". THEY ARE PHENOMENAL. THE SING THEY DANCE THEY ARE PROFESSIONAL ON SO VERY MAY LEVELS. THEY WILL BE AROUND LIKE THE PREVIOUS COMMENT SUGGESTS AT OTHER FESTIVALS ON OUR FAIR ISLAND. BEFORE YOU SHUN THEN SHUT THEM OR DISLIKE THEM BASED UPON RUMORS AND HATERS AND FOLK THAT JUST PLAIN LIKE TO CAUSE TROUBLE GO AND SEE THEM.
Pirates : 6/22/2009
They just did the Strawberry Fest over the weekend. They'll be at Montauk lighthouse, Captree Fall Fest, and Oyster Bay Oyster Fest. I know the "new guys" and they are serious professionals. They're also VERY nice people. You need to meet them and see their show and what they bring to the festival enviroment. The director/owner goes back 11 years in the "pirate show business" and has worked with other groups on Long Island -including the Maritime Pirates in Sag Harbor many years ago. They certainly won't be any trouble. They're really good people who just like to put on a great show -FOR CHILDREN & FAMILIES.
$$$ : 6/20/2009
2,000.00 buck's should be paid to Capt.Hobart for all the pasted year's his did it for free then too .The G-port pirate's are half local kid's ! Use your head's people.
Pirates..sigh.. : 6/19/2009
Perhaps Mr Davies demands on his website of how "no one can be a pirate unless he says their a pirate" and "no ship can be a pirate unless he says it's a pirate ship" has come back to haunt him. I also know last September he was supposed to do an event in Copiague and never showed up(the coordinators said he cancelled 3 days before since this was the raindate). Perhaps Mr. Davies should focus less on "bookstores" and more on the history if that is what the town wants. Or maybe it's just time for a change.
Greenport Maritime Pirates : 6/19/2009
Aaargh!
Pirates : 6/19/2009
Sometimes Change is good! Let's give the new kids on the block a chance to enjoy entertaining the wonderful people of Greenport!!!
pirates : 6/19/2009
i say we give them a try. who are they? do we know? why would such a nice town with seemingly nice folks be so up in arms about pirates. thanks god they are not somalian. maybe we should all give them a chance. maybe mr. davis is outdated and we should have something new. lets see who they are first and then decide. who are they and can we see them before they get here. that would be the best answer. anyway before you all start a mutiny find out more so this town of ours can be peaceful and not raided.
pirates : 6/19/2009
give the new guys a chance. have you seen them they are great they sing they dance they are the most entertaining group of festival pirates i have ever seen. embrace them. maybe the old boy local pirates can give the schooner rides but hey the new ones are show worthy indeed.
: 6/19/2009
I have no doubt that the new pirate troupe will blow the maritime festival out of the water -- I heard they have a taste of the fightin' Irish in them. You can't compete with that. Put your swords down!
pirates : 6/18/2009
When I see things like this I always think "I bet there is a reason for that". I don't know why the town uninvited Mr. Davis but I'm sure someone does. Some things are better left unsaid.
huh? : 6/18/2009
are you people high?? bad enough you got outsiders for this and then hint your affraid that the old crew will mess with the new one is propaganda worthy of goebels or carl rove. fact is its the locals who will make problems it also smacks of you know this will hurt the festival and you are planning ahead of time to blame anyone else for this fiasco well blame me then for if this is how it goes own my family wont spend a dime in the village this time and we are over 150 strong and other families are also either doing the same or thinking on it either way this year will be a bust
Capt.Hobart Has a heart of gold - : 6/18/2009
Folk's look forward to seeing that group ! Keep it local. If you want them to tame it down" Ms. New comer "just ask ! Mr.Davis as the stamina of nine men , and the love of this town. Remember he live's in Southold L.I.11971!
this is evil! : 6/18/2009
they ARE the Maritime Festival. they are locals. you are nuts. we look forward to this every year. kids know them by name. you'll invite them if you can't afford the others - how rude!!!!!!
