One of my favorite things about living in Los Angeles is how many unique events and places we have here. There’s such a wide range of options – no matter your taste or preference! For some, that means movie premieres or one-of-a-kind coffee shops. For others, that means Disneyland or cosplay conventions! While Sohrab and I absolutely love all of these things, we discovered yet another reason to love Los Angeles – the annual Pirate Invasion of Long Beach.
Okay, I’m going to be real here. Guys, I have a secret.
My alter ego is a pirate.
Sohrab and I bonded over our love for pirates at the beginning of our relationship 9 years ago. Not only do we love the Pirates of the Caribbean movies (okay… except for On Stranger Tides), but when I was a teenager, I spent weeks on a tall ship that sailed out of Rainbow Harbor in Long Beach! Talk about living my best pirate life. Three guesses what our favorite ride at Disneyland is…
As you can imagine, when we heard about the annual Pirate Invasion, our ears perked up! This weekend-long event gave us the opportunity to dress up and surround ourselves with fellow pirates on the shores of Long Beach, California.
When they call it Pirate Invasion, they’re not kidding around. The entire peninsula is taken over – overrun, even! – by pirates! It’s an incredible, immersive experience. Think of it as a pirate Ren Faire. There’s grub, grog, pirate ships, mermaids, and of course, all the merch you can imagine. It’s a great place to people watch, spend some loot, or enjoy live performances throughout the camp.
Here’s a quick sampling of everything that happened this year:
- Opening cannons
- Garb contest
- Sword swallower
- Ventriloquism
The best part? Entry is entirely free! We absolutely loved spending the day in the encampment, and I think this may become a new annual excursion – right in our own backyard! So, will you join us? Would you venture to the Pirate Invasion in summer 2019?
