Jamaica’s New Pirates Week Has Treasure Hunts, Seafood Festivals, and a UNESCO World Heritage Backdrop
The sun is high over Kingston Harbour, and a crowd is gathering where the water meets the edge of Port Royal — the same harbor that once welcomed infamous privateers and legendary buccaneers. A cannon sounds in the distance, music starts to rise, and suddenly you’re part of a modern-day pirate tale. Costumes, riddims, treasure hunts and rum — Kingston Pirates Week is here, and it’s Jamaica like you’ve never experienced it before.
From Oct. 29 to Nov. 2, 2025, Jamaica will host the first-ever Kingston Pirates Week, a new cultural festival set around the capital city and historic Port Royal, once called the “wickedest city on earth.” It’s a celebration of Jamaica’s swashbuckling history and its vibrant present, blending music, dance, dining and immersive historical experiences in a setting that just became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in July.
A Festival Set on Legendary Shores
The four-day festival taps into Kingston’s cultural heartbeat and Port Royal’s remarkable past, creating a unique atmosphere where history and festivity collide. Riddims & Rum, a themed Merritone fête on Oct. 30, will bring one of Jamaica’s oldest and most respected sound systems to life in a night of music, dance and pirate costumes, where the best-dressed buccaneer walks away with a prize.
On Nov. 1, visitors will take to the sea for the Pirates Beach Clean-Up, hopping aboard pontoons to reach nearby beaches. Treasure hunts, prizes and a playful call to “embody your inner pirate” turn environmental stewardship into an adventure.
The festival wraps up on Nov. 2 with the Port Royal Pirates & Seafood Festival, a lively waterfront celebration filled with live music, costume contests, and even a full-scale “pirate invasion.” It’s also a showcase for Port Royal’s famous seafood, served fresh as the harbor buzzes with festivities.
Culture, Community and New Discoveries
Kingston Pirates Week isn’t just about entertainment — it’s part of Jamaica’s broader effort to diversify its tourism experiences and highlight its cultural capital. “This new event builds on Jamaica’s reputation as the cultural capital of the Caribbean, bringing together music, cuisine, and the rich storytelling heritage of Kingston and Port Royal,” said Jamaica’s Minister of Tourism, Edmund Bartlett.
Jamaica’s Director of Tourism, Donovan White, called it “an exciting step forward” that blends immersive experiences with community engagement, appealing to both locals and visitors while reinforcing Kingston’s status as a must-visit destination.
Beyond the Festival
For those who want to dive deeper into the pirate legends, Port Royal offers a wealth of experiences beyond the festival itself. At the new Port Royal Museum, visitors can see artifacts recovered from the sunken city that once lay beneath the sea. Cruises to Lime Cay Island set the stage for modern treasure hunts, while bars and restaurants across Kingston serve rum tastings inspired by the favorite drink of notorious figures like Sir Henry Morgan, Calico Jack and Blackbeard Teach.
Kingston Pirates Week is more than a festival — it’s a journey into Jamaica’s past, wrapped in the energy of its cultural present, all set on one of the most storied coastlines in the Caribbean.
Karen Udler is the Deputy Travel Editor of Caribbean Journal. A graduate of Duke University, has been traveling across the Americas for three decades. First an expert on Latin American travel, Karen has been traveling with CJ for more than a decade. She likes to focus on wellness, luxury travel and food.
