By Amanda Butler, Staff Writer
After a Friday of registering family and friends, welcoming them with Illusionist Wayne Hoffman as well as a movie night featuring The Goonies, the main event took place the next day. Starting at eleven on the crisp Saturday morning and ending at three in the hot afternoon, the Fall Family Festival commenced.
Argh, matey! Swab the decks and protect yer booty! Pirates lay siege upon Saint Leo on October 16, surrounding the guests with an array of pirate games and memorabilia. Tossing treasure into pirate hats, catapulting balls into buckets, and a human dice game making the players walk the plank, were only a few of the activities. Guests could also throw on a captain’s hat for a souvenir photo or even paint their own treasure chest to store their own beloved treasure. Without a cloud in the sky, the event proceeded to amuse and entertain the University’s guests.
Exciting the audience was a pirate ship float emanating swashbuckling music for the main event: Mr. Bones the Pirate Magician and his crew made an appearance for the Festival. They entertained the audience with magic tricks and illusions, with a comedic air that included banana pistols and the fire-breather Blister Lips, who ironically was afraid of fire. The one-liners and crazy antics of the crew had both adults and children chuckling and smiling; and the illusions of fire-breathing, one rope that could magically double its ends, and solid rings that linked in a chain had the audience enveloped in wonder and intrigue. The crew got the audience involved, choosing various members to assist Mr. Bones in his magical performance, as well as a short lesson in belly dancing, led by pirate lady Sapphire. The group performed a total of three shows, twenty minutes each after half hour intervals.
Other activities were included in the Festival that were more festive than piratical, such as leather bracelets and key chains stamped for leather art; sand art that consisted of options for a picture frame, a decorative figurine, or a pen; and the guests and students could even decorate their own flip flops with buttons, bows, and sequins.
Many campus organizations, including Greek and non-Greek, ran booths for the event, selling food or activities to aid in their fundraising. Cake, watermelon, pumpkin painting, a game of darts, and pie-throwing were some of the merchandise. A booth not affiliated with the school was also set upraising money for The Haitian Project. Other kinds of food were sold as well, such as snow cones and turkey legs. Inflatable activities such as an obstacle course, a fighting ring, and a surfing simulator were available for the younger guests.
The Festival lasted until three in the afternoon and was followed by dinner and a movie night featuring Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End, following the pirate theme. The Buccaneer Bash followed, containing live music and fireworks, an explosive farewell to the family and friends of the Saint Leo community and a farewell to another successful Fall Family Festival.
