More than a few landlubbers could be ready to take on the pirate’s life after their visits last weekend to the annual Pirate & Caribbean Festival, hosted by the Vero Beach Chamber of Commerce. The three-day event saw pirates storming Riverside Park bedecked in their best swashbuckling finery.

Peg-legs, eye patches and parrots were among the costumed reenactors’ fashionable ensemble accents, not to be outdone by attendees out to enjoy a bit of family-friendly debauchery.

Tankards of ale and juice (for the wee ones) overflowed, as storytellers wove exciting tales of life on the high seas, entertaining visitors from near and far who dropped anchor to check out the boisterous and sometimes bawdy festivities.

This year’s festival had a notable Caribbean influence, a fitting choice as many a pirate visited those tropical shores in search of buried treasure and adventure.

Fest-goers shopped from among pirate-themed wares and visited the mermaid lagoon and the popular Pirate School, where they learned about pirate weaponry, cannons and small arms, and hand-to-hand combat.

A historical pirate encampment afforded visitors a chance to experience a day in the life of a pirate firsthand, with parlays and a replica of Blackbeard’s ship, and a children’s treasure hunt kept the little ones entertained.

The mission of the Vero Beach Chamber of Commerce is to promote tourism and economic development, and to act as a voice for area businesses. For more information, visit verochamber.com.