Royal William Yard is setting sail for a spectacular Pirates Weekend this Saturday and Sunday, celebrating the popular Plymouth event alongside the 200th anniversary of the Yard. It promises to be a swashbuckling occasion with a mix of maritime adventure, historical heritage, and plenty of family fun.

From 10am-3pm on Saturday 17^th and Sunday 18^th, the iconic waterfront destination will transform to offer a treasure trove of FREE family activities with a special historic twist to mark the bicentennial anniversary.

Ship’s biscuit making

One activity offers the unique opportunity to make authentic ship's biscuits – a nod to Royal William Yard's original purpose as a victualling yard, keeping the Navy afloat with food, drink and supplies. When it was built 200 years ago, the Yard’s bakery was the biggest factory of its kind in the country, producing bread and ship's biscuits. This weekend, visitors can step back in time and – quite literally – get their hands on history.

Children of all ages can participate in six bookable sessions over the weekend, taking home their own biscuits to bake. While these historic treats were once notorious for being infested with weevils (which sailors had to tap out before eating!), rest assured that all biscuits made this weekend will be insect free!

Ship’s biscuit making will take place at Ocean Studios and booking is advised as places are limited – booking is free and easy to do here.

Activities Ahoy!

From 10am-3pm throughout the weekend, visitors can enjoy a host of FREE entertainment taking place in the open-air on The Green:

• Treasure Hunt: Grab a map and embark on a daring quest around Royal William Yard to uncover hidden bounty
• Circus Skills: Test your seafaring prowess with pirate-themed challenges – walk the plank, juggle like an octopus, and find your sea legs on the roller bowler
• Craft Zone: Create your own pirate mask, tackle pirate puzzles, and get creative with maritime crafts
• Face Painting: Transform into a fearsome pirate or mystical mermaid
• Live Music: Enjoy performances throughout the weekend:
  • Saturday 17th May:
    • Live DJ Performance by Aldo Vanucci (10am-3pm)
  • Sunday 18th May:
    • Andy Quick (10:30-11:30am)
    • Rue (12-1pm)
    • Anything but Francis (1:30-2:30pm)
• Roaming Entertainment: Keep your eyes peeled for wandering pirates and performers
• Soft Archery: Learn a skill like the sailors of old, who used archery in ship-to-ship combat! This session will be delivered by Plymouth sports provider, High 5
• Pop-up Stalls: Featuring crepes, hot drinks, and a seafood BBQ by The Hook & Line
• RNLI Visit: On Sunday 18th May (10am-3pm), meet the heroes of the sea from Plymouth Lifeboat Station, visit the lifeboats in the Marina (open 10am-12pm and 12:30pm-3pm), and explore their stalls on The Green

Around Royal William Yard

The historic destination offers even more pirate-themed fun throughout the weekend:

• Everyman Cinema: Set sail for cinematic adventures with special screenings, including "Treasure Planet" on Saturday 17th May at 3pm. Book tickets here
• South West SUP: Take to the high seas with 20% discounted paddle-boarding sessions from 16^th - 18th May, including group sessions and paddle hire. Social paddles scheduled for Friday (6-7pm) and Sunday (8-9am). Enter code 'pirates' at checkout: www.southwestsup.co.uk
• Wildwood: Kids eat for £1 during Pirates Weekend, with a special pirate-themed kids' menu. Each child will receive a complimentary pirate eye patch with their meal!
• Pirate Beer Discount: Adults can enjoy discounted pirate-themed beer at Steel Brew
• Seco Lounge: Grab 2 cocktails for £12.95 from 5pm until closing time this weekend
• The Hook & Line: Sample delicious fresh seafood in the restaurant and at the special pop-up stall.

Getting Here

Visiting Royal William Yard during Pirates Weekend is easy:

• Ferry Service: Brave buccaneers can hop aboard Plymouth Boat Trips' ferry from the Barbican to Royal William Yard Marina. Find out more here
• FREE Bus Shuttle: Plymouth Waterfront Partnership and Plymouth Citybus are providing a free Pirates Weekend Bus Shuttle connecting all waterfront locations. All the shuttle bus details are here.

Pirates Weekend extends across Plymouth's waterfront, including the Barbican, Sutton Harbour, and West Hoe, brought to you by the businesses of Plymouth Waterfront Partnership. For the full programme of events across all locations, visit the main Pirates Weekend website.

For further information about Royal William Yard's activities, visit www.royalwilliamyard.com/pirates