Pirate Party Ideas

Young and old alike enjoy the pirate theme. Talk Like a Pirate Day is on September 19 every year, just one of many excuses for a pirate party. Check out the following pirate party ideas and online shops for inspiration for pirate gifts and swashbuckling parties.

It goes without saying that everyone must talk like a pirate.

Pirate treasure maps - for an authentic pirate invitation, age the paper. 

• Play around with different fonts but make sure the finished product is readable.  Blackadder and Viner Hand are a couple of suitably piratical fonts which are still easy to read.  Have a look in your word processing software to see what you have.
• Perfectly straight edges and square corners are a giveaway -- slightly burn the edges with a candle or cigarette lighter or simply tear the edges off.
• Old paper that has seen a bit of adventure looks battered and discoloured.  There are many techniques to age paper.  A few ideas are:
  • Dunk the paper in a basin full of strong lukewarm tea, or simply wipe or dab the paper with used teabags.  If the paper is saturated it will buckle and warp as it dries.  If you don't want this, or if it's too wrinkled, iron with a cool iron once dry. 
  • Dampen the paper then flick specks on instant coffee onto it.  The dampness will cause the coffee stains to spread a little, resulting in dark spots.
  • Spray the page with lemon juice then bake it in the oven or iron.  This creates brown speckles.  Make sure your paper doesn't burn too much.
  • Crumple the paper when dry to get some nice creases.
• NOTE: Make sure any printing is waterproof before wetting it.  Alternatively, for an artistic flourish, write with a calligraphy pen after treating the paper.

Pirate piñatas - check out Party Products Australia's pirate themed party supplies for pirate piñatas and other party game ideas.

Pirate costumes

• Costume Box - Thousands of fancy dress costumes, wigs, hats, accessories and masks. Based in Sydney with flat rate Express Post deliver Australia-wide. See their pirate costumes. All costumes displayed are in stock.
   
• Costume Direct - are based in Sydney's North Shore and deliver Australia-wide, New Zealand, Singapore and Hong Kong. They sell adults and children's costumes and accessories (including capes, gloves, glasses, jewelry, bling, beards & moustaches, masks, legwear, shoes, wigs, weapons and wings). Next day pick up option if you order by 2pm. See their Pirate Costumes
   
• Parties Online - Sydney-based party products store in operation since 1991. They specialise in themed and coloured decorations and also have mens and womens costumes. See their Pirate Party products and Pirate Party fancy dress for adults
   
• See our USA site for pirate party costumes from American online stores.

Pirate Party Products

• Parties Online - Sydney-based party products store in operation since 1991. They specialise in themed and coloured tableware, balloons costumes and more. See the range of Pirates and Peter Pan Parties, which include Balloons - Latex - Pirates Invitations & Banners, Pirate Flags & Bunting, Pirate Decorations & Cutouts, Pirate Tableware
   
• Party Products Australia - Invitations, balloons, napkins, plates, cups, hats, goody/loot bags, temporary tattoos, banner flags, piñatas, all with a decidedly piratey feel about them. Flat rate delivery Australia wide. 

For young pirates see Birthday Gifts Australia's pages on Pirate Gifts and Pirate Parties.