A Treasure Trove of Fun - John Levique Pirate Days Festival

Not that we need a lot of excuses to dress up like pirates and hunt for treasure on this coast (our pro football team is the Buccaneers), but add some real booty in terms of hundreds of dollars in prizes, fresh seafood, swashbuckling ship battles and kegs of ale and even the tamest of us can turn scallywag for a day.

That's what you will find and more at the 7th Annual John Levique Pirate Days Festival this weekend, June 6 to 8, at John's Pass Historic Fishing Village and Boardwalk on Madeira Beach. The family-friendly festival includes a treasure hunt (limited to only 300 families, so sign up early), costume contests, live music, pirate shows, kayak races, a flotilla parade and much more. For adults only there's a Pirate's Ball and a Blokes & Wenches auction where you can win a date for the next day's pirate ship invasion.

Now, John Levique wasn't a pirate in a literal sense, rather his hook was at the end of a fishing line. The local early settler happened to be returning home from selling a boatload of green turtle in New Orleans when he made the indelible discovery that now bears his name. The legend goes he was seeking shelter during a strong storm on Sept. 27, 1848 when he found a narrow opening into Boca Ciega Bay that had just been created by the gale. He was the first to navigate through the slice of water separating what are today Madeira Beach and Treasure Island.

Since then more harvested grouper has passed through the split of land than anywhere else in the world, and thousands of fishing and pleasure boats and Jetskis navigate it still.

Despite new condos and businesses in the community, the seafaring culture continues to live on year ‘round in the fishing village, where you can hop aboard a fishing boat or stroll along the rustic boardwalk and find island wear and a fresh Grouper sandwich. Often you can spot a dolphin swimming through the pass.

This weekend marine life may pale to the landlubbers' celebration. That's because the John Levique festival reminds us that there's still a little pirate in all of us, even if it's only in the hunt for good friends and family fun.

If You Go: 727-397-8764; www.johnspassfestivals.com/jlpd/docs/about.html