Ahoy there!... The Fairhope Public Library’s doors open to the first annual Pirate Con on September 16. After four librarians spent eight weeks of planning, adults and children alike flocked to the event, dressed up for swashbuckling. “It was so fun,” said Olivia Goodin, a teen volunteer working the greeter table. “I got to see all the happy faces of the kids who saw Mrs. Allyson, the pirate singers and everyone’s costumes.”
Ahoy there!… The Fairhope Public Library’s doors open to the first annual Pirate Con on September 16. After four librarians spent eight weeks of planning, adults and children alike flocked to the event, dressed up for swashbuckling. “It was so fun,” said Olivia Goodin, a teen volunteer working the greeter table. “I got to see all the happy faces of the kids who saw Mrs. Allyson, the pirate singers and everyone’s costumes.”
Jillian Surla
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Fairhope Public Library Pirate Con influences community

Byline photo of Jillian Surla
Jillian Surla, editor-in-chief
September 21, 2023
Best dressed… Fairhope High School junior Kinsley Frego signs up for the pirate costume contest. She won third place and was gifted a parrot LEGO set. “It was fun,” Frego said, “and it brought together people of many different age groups.” (Jillian Surla)
I spy… Children search for pirate-themed items on the I Spy board to find the FHPL bear mascot, Captain Booker. As soon as a participant entered the library, Olivia Goodin gave them a map and the task to find Captain Booker by completing missions. (Jillian Surla)
Reference reef… Dressed up and ready to save Captain Booker, a young girl and her guardian solve riddles together at the second station. Four puzzling pirate questions were laid out at the reference center to be solved. (Jillian Surla)
Between the books… In Grace’s Grotto, the third station, a guardian helps his kid find the next clue to Captain Booker’s whereabouts. Hidden on the shelf, Pirateology by Dugald Steer sat above a phrase that led participants to their next destination. (Jillian Surla)
Paper pirate… FHPL teen volunteer Jill Cotten instructs everyone on how to fold a paper hat at the fourth station. With only newspaper, scissors and perseverance, each participant created their own hat. “I had a lot of fun helping out the kids,” Cotten said, “and they got this proud look on their faces after they made their own hats. That was really cute.” (Jillian Surla)
Almost there… A young boy gets his hand stamped after completing his mission. Once a participant finished all of their tasks, they were sent to teen volunteer Tucker Goodin to be let inside “Shipwreck Island,” the final destination of the hunt and where they kept Captain Booker. “Regardless of their reasoning for coming,” Goodin said, “everyone involved seemed very enthusiastic and grateful for the opportunity to escape reality for a time and enter the world of thieves, scallywags and plunder.” (Jillian Surla)
Crafty by the cove… Kids and parents make decorative pirate treasure chests together after finding Captain Booker. Once entering the Activity room, participants took photos with Captain Booker on his cardboard pirate ship. “I saw dozens of people from dozens of walks of life at Pirate Con,” Goodin said, “but they all shared a passion for their community and the fun nature of the scavenger hunt they diligently completed.” (Jillian Surla)
Belt it out… The Commodore of Brotherhood of the Southern Seas sings a sea shanty for Pirate Con. The B.O.S.S pirate crew stayed the entire event and judged the cosplay contest. “All of these events are fun,” said Allyson Russell, a youth services librarian. “That’s why we are programming librarians. We’re like kids who haven’t grown up and we sit around and ask ourselves: what would be fun?” (Jillian Surla)
Winners!… After getting five in a row in bingo, two kids pick out a pirate-themed temporary tattoo or sticker. Not wanting to leave anyone out, the game continued until everyone received a prize–even the volunteers. (Jillian Surla)
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