Seattle Seafair Pirates
In 1949, the younger members of the Washington State Press Club’s action committee, the Ale & Quail Society, founded the Seattle Seafair Pirates (first known as the “Davy Jones operation of SEAFAIR”). The members of the Society then joined with other community leaders to create Seattle’s first SEAFAIR festival in 1950. Since that time the Seattle Seafair Pirates have directed their energies and talents toward the promotion and production of Seattle’s annual SEAFAIR festivities.
Every summer since 1950, the SEAFAIR festivities have begun with the annual proclamation of Davy Jones’ renewed warfare upon the upstart, so-called “King” Neptune. In due course the city falls and the Mayor hands over the keys to the city at the Pirate’s Landing. The Seafair Pirates have triumphed again!
In early days, the Seafair Pirates’ triumph often included the burning of Neptune’s flagship, complete with fire-works. That stopped when the supply of derelict ships became depleted.
The Seafair Pirates are led by Captain Kidd and Davy Jones. Captain Kidd is elected each year by the Ale & Quail Society to lead pirate operations. Davy Jones is chosen from the Seattle community to sail as an honorary Seafair Pirate for one year.
Always seeking to promote Seattle and SEAFAIR, the pirates have had many adventures over the years. In 1953 the Seafair Pirates heard of a fund that had been established to ransom British subjects captured by pirates. By then the fund was worth well over a million dollars.
In an attempt to collect this treasure, Joe Mulivrana, that year’s Captain Kidd led the Seafair Pirates down to capture the British consul and vice-consul, informing the government of Britain that the pirates of old were still in business. While they made the front page of The Times (of London), they did not make the local papers or receive a penny in ransom!