PHOTO GALLERY: Pirate's Day in Barnegat A Success, Despite Some Windy Conditions

The wind gusted and sent some of the vendor tents flying like a pirate ship's sail, but the winds and a little bit of rain did not stop Barnegat's Annual Pirate's Day event from being a hit with visitors.

Thousands came out to the event yesterday, which features everything from food, to music, to singing pirates.

Barnegat Chamber of Commerce President Ginny Melchiondo said this year's event attracted about 150 vendors, who, despite some wind gusts that blew tents around, managed to have a great day.

Pirate historian and children's book author Steve Buckley came up from Maryland to share his Blackbear the Pirate books. He said he was very pleased with the turnout and was eager to share some local pirate lore with locals.

Buckley said one of the characters in his book, La Kidd, is actually named after William Captain Kidd, who is famed for depositing some of his treasures on Gardiners Island, and has been linked with the "buried" treasure lore surrounding many pirates.

Marcie Smith, of Stafford, brought her two boys, four-year-old Chase and 20-month-old Carter, because she said Chase loves Pirates of the Caribbean and other pirate stories. Chase, wearing face paint that gave him a skeleton appearance, watched happily as people dressed up like pirates sang and entertained the crowds.

One of the "pirates," Marauding Maeve from Munster, also known as Patch blogger from Long Island, said she's been attending events like these for years, and loves to attend and entertain crowds.

"I travel to festivals all over," she said, waving at a crowd of passersby and bidding a jolly "ahoy!"

The event is made possible through a joint sponsorship between the Barnegat Chamber of Commerce and the Barnegat Recreation Department.