Pirates make a landing at Guelph's Marden Park this long weekend
Along with new acts and performers, this year's festival is also under new leadership
There be pirates at Guelph's Marden Park this long weekend as the annual Pirate Festival gets underway.
The festival has been running out of Guelph's Marden Park for several years and offers festival goers food, drinks, dozens of craft merchants and entertainment.
Several acts and performances were new this year, including a mist tent for festival goers to cool down, as well as new managers leading the ship.
Andy Blau stepped in to run this year's Pirate Festival, after news hit that the original managers couldn't.
Blau has been a professional performer for over 35 years and often plays as Zoltan the Adequate at the festival. He said he and his partner couldn't let the event die.
"It's a once-a-year kind of day and we just couldn't see it in our hearts to let it pass," Blau said.
With just 10 weeks before the festival began, Blau and his partner were able to get permits in place, volunteers and vendors for the three-day long festival.
"It was 10 tough weeks," he said. "We scrambled and we put it together because we want to see this event not just happen, but grow."
Attending this year's festival is John Nogueira and his family. They have been coming to the Pirate Festival for six years, following it wherever it was held.
"We first went to the festival when it was held in Milton ... and we ended up here in Marden, so we've been coming here the last few years," Nogueira said.
"It's the same vibe, just different location and closer to home for us."
His son Noah, 15, also enjoys the festival, particularly the juggling performance by the Drick Brothers, who sometimes call him up on stage. Noah is also a juggler and magician on the side.
"Usually at some point I'll just walk around juggling and talk to people," he said.
"It's just a fun atmosphere."
The festival continues Monday, Aug. 5 from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
