The Ministry of Tourism and the Ministry of Culture have joined forces for the return of the country’s national festival, Pirates Week, unveiling the official theme and dates for 2025.
Culture Minister Isaac Rankine said at a joint ministerial press conference on Wednesday that the plan is to “take this back to what made us successful in the beginning and that has never failed. So, we’re going to go back to what is tried and proven and get that done to make our Pirates Week 2025 successful.”
Tourism Minister Gary Rutty said this year’s festival is a collaborative effort between the two ministries, “designed not only to attract and promote visitors but also to showcase our culture and remind our people of the richest of our heritage”.
“We look forward to welcoming everyone to what promises to be a vibrant and unforgettable celebration of Caymanian pride … making this year’s Pirates Week even better than the previous 47 years,” Rutty said.
This year’s theme, ‘That’s Cayman, Our National Treasure’, serves as a reminder of what makes the Cayman Islands unique – our people, our tradition, and our stories, Rankine said.
“It’s a call to honour and uplift the cultural legacy that continues to shape who we are,” he said.
Planned across all three islands – 8-15 Nov. on Grand Cayman, 21 Nov. on Cayman Brac, and 22 Nov. on Little Cayman – the festival promises to be an inclusive and family-friendly celebration, “welcoming residents and visitors alike to enjoy a full calendar of exciting events, cultural displays, heritage activities, local music, delicious food and so much more”.
The festival will also include district days, a George Town pub crawl, the Pirates Week landing and trial, a float parade and food festival, as well as a half-mile George Town sea swim, a heritage king and queen competition, a steel pan band competition, a turtle release and stage parties.
The culture minister said over the years, Pirates Week has remained among the most enjoyed annual events in the Cayman Islands and he hopes to “return to the original purpose of this event by celebrating and showcasing our rich Caymanian culture and heritage, the many talents of our people and the vibrant tourism industry that we have to offer”.
Rankine noted Jamaica’s government announced it would be hosting it own pirates week celebrations in October.
“It’s always so nice when you’ve done something so well that people emulate you, but certainly we have a product that we can call our own, no matter what anybody else does,” he said.
“So, we’re still going to continue to do what we do best, and that is to showcase our culture, invite people to come to our shores, and put on a really, really great event.”
The tourism minister said the full schedule is currently being finalised and will be officially announced by 1 Sept. In the coming weeks, the ministries will be issuing a call for sponsors and vendors to get involved in the festivities.
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