Whether you fancy being Jack Sparrow, Blackbeard or Cut Throat Jake, next weekend is your chance to shine as Rye Pirates and Smugglers Day takes place on Saturday 8 August.
Last year hundreds dressed up to parade through Rye. It looked spectacular and the organisers hope the 2026 event will be even more colourful, urging locals and visitors to dress for the occasion – with prizes on offer.
The day kicks off in the Gun Garden with shanties, proclamations from the mayor and town crier at 10am, and a performance from the Ryebellion Drummers. There will then be a parade around town, with stalls and performances on The Strand and Town Salts from 10am until 5pm.
The best dressed pet competition will be judged at 1pm at Strand Quay. The children’s parade will muster at 1.45pm at The Mermaid and walk off at 2pm to the Gun Garden. All pirates and smugglers are invited to join a chain gang walk leaving at 2pm from The Mermaid to the Gun Garden. The children’s best dressed competition will take place at 2.15pm at the Gun Garden, the adult best dressed is at 3.00pm at the Town Salts, and the crowning of the Rye Pirates and Smugglers King and Queen will be at 4pm, also at the Town Salts.
Rye Pirates and Smugglers Day spokesperson said, “Join us and discover Rye’s hidden past, step into the cobbled streets and historic waterfront of Rye – a town steeped in tales of piracy and smuggling from the 17th and 18th centuries. As one of the ancient Cinque Ports, Rye played a vital maritime role, yet its proximity to the French coast made it a hotbed for clandestine trade.”
Image Credits: Charlie Gould , Rye Pirates .