The 2nd Annual Pirate's Beach Music Festival is a Nominal Success | Eastern North Carolina Now

    About 2 ½ years earlier, Jay Mac Hodges of Washington, North Carolina met with Pirate's Beach Music Festival originator Billy Dunn, of neighboring Greenville, along the city's waterfront, and summed up his position something like this, "How do you feel about leaving the Pitt County Fair Grounds for our waterfront? Wouldn't a beach music festival be better along our waterfront than a sweltering hot fairground far from the water?"

    Just a year earlier, the 6th annual Pirate's Beach Music Festival was held in September at the Pitt County Fair Grounds on an unusually hot day. As Mac tells it, this served as the perfect catalyst to permanently relocate this popular music event to a more appropriate home - Washington's Festival Park along the town's most impressive waterfront. And now, the rest is a 2 year history of fun, music and the promise of profit.
     The Fantastic Shakers playing down near the Estuarium and the waterfront: Above. Some folks sit and others shag: Below.   images by Stan Deatherage.
    Billy Dunn, had primarily run this event as a vehicle for entertainment, but, moreover, as a means to produce financial resources for many worthy causes in, and around Pitt County. After these 6 initial events, Mr. Dunn retired this philanthropic festival, in Pitt County, to the cooler waterfront breezes of Beaufort County, and even served as an advisor to insure the Festival's success in Beaufort County.

    The inaugural 2009 Pirate Beach Music Festival at Festival Park was a resounding success, making its favorite charity, Washington Harbor District Alliance (WHDA) around 12,000.00. The Washington Harbor District Alliance is the combined efforts of the Merchants Association, the Citizens for Revitalization Committee and the former DWOW (Downtown Washington on the Water). The WHDA benefited from the assistance of the Washington / Beaufort County Chamber of Commerce and the Beaufort County Arts Council, with many other groups selling tickets for a cut of the proceeds.
    This was a day for young and old, equal opportunity fun for all: Above and below.    images by Stan Deatherage

    The former DWOW was at one time a favorite charity of a majority of the Beaufort County Commissioners, and for a longer stint, the Washington City Council, but could not manage themselves past their publicly funded bureaucracy and eventually folded. The Washington Harbor District Alliance, under the more competent direction of Beth Byrd, has forged an alliance with all these interested parties, and is making a difference in Downtown Washington by hosting events such as the Pirate's Beach Music Festival, with no local public money (none that I am aware of).
     The Fantastic Shakers have fun with the Shagging crowd: Above and below.   images by Stan Deatherage.
    The 8th Festival, 2nd in Washington, did not make money; but probably broke even. It was not as much influenced by the poor economy as it was the weather prognostication of 70% chance of rain. Rather that rain, thunder and lightning, the Festival enjoyed puffy white clouds intermittently blocking the sun, and an abundance of royal blue sky. The estimated 1,200 attendees, and volunteers, who were prepared to brave the elements, were treated to a beautiful day, and took the opportunity to enjoy the melodies of: the Band of Oz, the Coastline Band, Hip Pocket and the Fantastic Shakers.
    The Fantastic Shakers gave a good show to this thankful crowd: Above and below.    images by Stan Deatherage

    These bands were just the tonic for this enthusiastic crowd of revelers, who love this genre of music, originating within the beach communities of North and South Carolina, which influenced that beloved dance of Shagging. This dance party in the Festival Park in Washington's Harbor District was well attended by folks from outside Beaufort County. Washington tourism director, Lynn Lewis, related to Mac Hodges that an estimated 65% of these fans came from outside Beaufort County.

    Mac Hodges continued in that vein, "This is going to be a big part of the economic development in Beaufort. I don't see manufacturing facilities relocating to the county as much as I see folks coming to our area to enjoy themselves and spend their money."
    Jay Mac Hodges shares the fruits of his efforts with a happy bunch of folks: Above.

    After the first two local Beach Music Festivals it does appear that Mr. Hodges is right, and we do pray for their continued success of making money to create an even better environment for music in this festival atmosphere. Success begets success, and Mac intimated that a permanent 20' x 30' stage may be next for the Festival Park if they can continue with these profitable ventures. Good luck and many thanks.