Last night me and my crew co-hosted our town's first ever Pirate's Ball on the lawn of a lovely Victorian mansion downtown. Yes, we CO-hosted. We were not alone in this project. I decided to team up with a local non-profit to help make the event bigger, better and more diverse... but things started to get pretty ugly during planning. I don't want to go into much details about all that but I will say we probably won't be co-hosting another event with them. Preesh the help... but not the stress.
Me and our new friend and faire supporter Fred Flores, Jack Sparrow impersonator.
I'm really not a fan of pirate stuff but I know there are plenty of pirate fans out there and we've been wanting to host a more historical fundraising event so I came up with the idea for a Pirate's Ball a couple months ago. Everyone liked the idea so I went with it.
Dr. Scott the Pirate Shantyman, a regular performer at out faire, a huge supporter and all around great guy.
And the Queen's guard in the middle. All I can say is... awesome. Irrelevant, but awesome. His hat looked like a cow had licked it but.... still awesome.
I used to be in this band waaay back before it even had a name. They're good friends and great entertainers.
My husband looking slightly confused.
Donated petit fours!!! FREE FOOD IS AWESOME FOOD!
Here's a friends of mine who's four months prego with her first baby. She decided to bare it all because her costumes and corsets won't fit anymore! I would totally do the same if my belly didn't look like I just got mauled by a tiger.
And of course we had a raffle for three prizes.
Attendance was around 40. Our goal was 100, but there just aren't that many people in this town who are interested in having fun. PLUS there was another event going on that same night, hosted by OUR co-hosts. Yes, our co-hosts held another event on the same night as this one. Why? Good question. Your guess is as good as mine. Like a stated before: we won't be doing another event with them.
Yes! She has a little ship in her hat!
Belly dancers are rare around here. Our original go-to dancer already had plans, the next group we booked had to drop out but luckily before they did they hooked us up with another group. Loving the mermaid themed costumes.
We ended the night with a rather rowdy costume contest that was judged by none other than Jack Sparrow himself.
Now it's Sunday evening and I'm stiff, I'm sore and I'm exhausted.
It took everything I have to get dressed and put on makeup to meet my brother and sister in-law for a Mexican lunch today.
Ah, the ups and downs of planning events...
I love it all!
Our budget Costumes:
Husband
Vest - handmade by a friend for free
Shirt- from his Civil War reenacting days
Pants - Etsy
Boots - online renaissance store clearance
Tricorn - Awful $5 hat from local party supply store, stained black with shoe polish to conceal crappiness.
Me
Chemise - Ebay (the only chemise I could find that would fit over my belly)
Leggings - Walmart
Boots - handmedowns
Jewelry and acessories - cheap Ebay finds and gifts
Sorry 'bout the trouble with the co-host. Why would they do a competing event? That's just bizarre. Pirates are cool -- a lot of their motifs are adopted by motorcyclists.
ReplyDeleteYeah a competing event doesn't seem like a smart idea.
DeleteLove pirates, that Jack Sparrow looks fabulous! Such a shame that more people didn't want to join in the fun xxx
ReplyDeleteDamn those town bores, I'd have totally been there partying with you all, admiring those fantastic costumes and eating free food. What's the matter with people, they don't like fun? Losers!
ReplyDeleteYou and your man look utterly fabulous - all of you do! xxx
Cool! This looks like so much fun! I love the costumes and how everyone put so much effort into looking like pirates! It's such a bummer you never get as many visitors as you expect, something's wrong with this town! Of course also crappy of the co-hosts to double-host events that night. Someone has to take a class in successful event planning it seems...
ReplyDeleteThose Queens guards get around! it looks like such an excellent event, hello Jack Sparrow! I would have been arrested for stalking him, ha! the co-hosts may have tried to cock up proceedings but I would have been all over your event, belly dancers, pirates free food singing and dancing! it all looked flaming brilliant! x x x
ReplyDeleteI swear I think there would be nothing fun going on in your town if it wasn't for you! You and hubby look like hot pirates and I am loving the Jack Sparrow but who wouldn't. You alwys go all out and I'm sure those that show up are so happy with the event. You look great in purple btw!
ReplyDeleteXxxooo
You guys looked great and the event sounds like it was a lot of fun, albeit not as well attended as you had hoped :/. What is with co-planners who organize another event on the same night? That is just a dumb move for everyone, including themselves. Sheesh.
ReplyDeleteTbd costumes are so well thought out - looks like everyone who attended made a big effort to show up looking the part!
ReplyDeleteLove those costumes! Looks like a lot of fun :D
ReplyDeleteYou all look great! It looks like so much fun, I would have been there to enjoy all the festivities! Too bad the co-hosts planned another event same night, what's up with that!? :-)
ReplyDeleteYou are THE mover and shaker in town. Great costuming all around and the petit fours are worth partying for, surely. You guys make a great pirate couple! Well done.
ReplyDeleteI love how everyone who attended really got into the spirit of the event - great costumes! And the mermaid belly dancers are gorgeous. You guys are pirates, you could have done a raid on the other event that night, arg, walk the plank. I bet all of you would have had a great time. Thank goodness the town has you there liven things up!
ReplyDeleteI actually like pirates... Sexy! The party looks amazing. I would have gone if I lived in your town. I had a similar sit with an artist I sponsored who planned a party on the same night as her showing. We were scheduled first. So unbelievably unprofessional and rather idiotic.
ReplyDelete