Holiday on September 19, 2026 — International Pirate Imitation Day
On September 19, the world celebrates International Pirate Day—an unusual, lighthearted holiday that invites people to become pirates for a day. On this day, people speak in pirate slang, dress up in pirate costumes, throw themed parties, and reminisce about famous pirates from books and movies. Here’s where this holiday comes from, why it’s celebrated on September 19, and how you can spend the day.
International Talk Like a Pirate Day is celebrated annually on September 19. In 2026, this date falls on a Saturday. In English, the holiday is called International Talk Like a Pirate Day. The main idea behind it is very simple—to forget the usual rules of communication for at least one day and try to speak the way pirates do in popular culture.
It is neither a national holiday nor an official international holiday. It was conceived as a fun excuse for entertainment, jokes, and themed gatherings. Over the years, the idea has spread far beyond the group of friends who came up with it and has taken root in various countries. Nowadays, on September 19, pirate themes are featured in schools, libraries, social media, parties, and various themed events.
How the Holiday Came to Be
The history of this day did not begin on a ship or during the era of famous sea robbers. It was invented by two friends from the state of Oregon in the U.S.—John Baur and Mark Summers. It happened in 1995 during a game of racquetball. During the match, one of them got injured and, in pain, let out a cry that sounded like a pirate’s “Arrr!” The friends found this so funny that they decided to turn this pirate-style exclamation into its own annual holiday.
Interestingly, they didn’t originally choose September 19. The idea came about on June 6, 1995, but they decided not to use that date because of its connection to the Allied landings in Normandy during World War II. So the friends chose September 19—the birthday of Mark Summers’s ex-wife. According to them, it was simply a date that was easy for him to remember.
In the early years, Pirate Impersonation Day remained a joke among the two friends and their circle. That changed in 2002, when Baur and Summers reached out to the well-known American humorist and columnist Dave Barry. He took an interest in their idea and wrote about it in his syndicated column. After that, millions of people learned about this unusual holiday, and September 19 gradually became an international internet phenomenon.
Why Pirates?
Pirates have long been a part of popular culture. The image of a sea robber can be found in adventure books, movies, cartoons, video games, and amusement park rides. A parrot on the shoulder, an eye patch, a hat, a cutlass, a chest of gold, and an old ship have long been recognizable symbols of pirate culture. However, the festival’s creators did not attempt to recreate the actual historical language of pirates. On the contrary, it is a kind of parody of how pirates are portrayed in popular culture. Stephanie Jones, an English professor at the University of Southampton, noted that the idea of typical pirate speech is much more complex than the famous “arr” and “ahoy.” The researcher pointed out that there is much debate about how pirates actually might have spoken in the 17th and 18th centuries.
The modern image of a pirate has been heavily influenced by cinema. In particular, the accent of British actor Robert Newton, who played Long John Silver in the 1950 film *Treasure Island*, became popular. It was his manner of speaking that later became one of the main sources of the pirate accent we are familiar with today. Therefore, the famous “Arrr!”, “Ahoy!”, and “matey” are more closely associated with film and literature than with the actual language of pirates from past centuries.
How to Speak Like a Pirate
The main tradition of this day is clear from its name—you should try to speak like a pirate. The usual “hello” can be replaced with “Ahoy!”, which is a kind of pirate greeting. Instead of “yes,” use “Aye,” and “Aye, aye” can mean that a person has understood an order and is ready to carry it out. “Avast!” is often used to get someone’s attention.
There are other popular words in the pirate vocabulary as well. For example, “matey” means a comrade or friend, “booty” means plunder, “grub” means food, and “Davy Jones’s locker” is a fictional place on the ocean floor where, according to legend, lost sailors end up. In playful pirate speech, you can also replace ordinary words with stylized forms and deliberately draw out the “Arrr!” Of course, no one expects you to speak this way all day long. You can simply add a few pirate words to your everyday conversation. For example, instead of “Good morning,” say “Ahoy, mate!” and instead of the usual “Yes,” say the playful “Aye, Captain!” Lightheartedness and humor are the main spirit of this holiday.
How to Celebrate Pirate Day
Since the holiday has no strict rules, everyone can celebrate it however they like. One of the most popular options is to throw a themed party. Guests are invited to come in pirate costumes, come up with their own nautical nicknames, and use pirate-style phrases when talking to each other. You don’t have to buy an expensive costume to look like a pirate. All you need is a hat, a scarf, a vest, a wide belt, or even a plain black T-shirt. Some people add an eye patch, a drawn-on mustache, or a beard. And for the full effect, you can make a paper treasure map and organize a hunt for hidden “gold.”
Another popular option is watching pirate movies. On this day, you can revisit *Treasure Island*, film adaptations of Robert Louis Stevenson’s adventures, or the *Pirates of the Caribbean* series. You can also read books about sea adventures or learn more about the real history of piracy. This is exactly what helps distinguish the romanticized image of pirates from the movies from the real lives of sea robbers.
For children, you can organize a real pirate scavenger hunt. For example, hide small gifts or treats and leave a few clues in the form of a map. Participants can take on the roles of captain, navigator, ship’s cook, or treasure hunter. This format is often used by libraries and educational institutions, as the celebration allows children to play, read adventure stories, and learn something new about pirates all at once.
Interesting Facts About the Holiday
One of the most interesting facts is that International Pirate Day originated from a simple sports game. In other words, there is no long-standing tradition or ancient maritime ritual behind it. It all started as a joke between two friends who decided that talking like pirates was so much fun that it deserved its own day.
Even more interesting is that the holiday’s popularity skyrocketed thanks to the media. Until 2002, it was known mainly to a small circle of people. After Dave Barry published an article about the idea, other publications began writing about it, and Baur and Summers gained attention from radio stations and audiences outside the U.S.
The holiday has also been featured online on numerous occasions. For example, in 2008, Facebook launched a special pirate-themed version for one day, while other websites and online services created themed designs or hidden humorous features. Thus, Pirate Day gradually became part of internet culture.
There’s another interesting point: famous pirate phrases, which today seem very old-fashioned, don’t always have a real historical origin. The way modern people imagine pirates has been shaped largely by writers, actors, and directors. That’s why on September 19, people are actually imitating not so much real-life sea robbers as their popular image from books, movies, and games.
Can this holiday be celebrated in Ukraine?
In Ukraine, it can also simply be a fun themed day without complicated rules. For example, you can throw a pirate party with friends, create a treasure map, or organize a scavenger hunt at home. For children, contests for the best pirate costume, a “treasure” hunt, and a quiz about famous seafarers are great options. For adults, you can organize an evening in the style of an adventure movie. All you need to do is pick some fitting music, watch a pirate movie, and agree to call each other “captain,” “sailor,” or “mate” for at least a few hours. The main thing is not to take the celebration too seriously.
You can also spend the day learning something new by reading about the real history of piracy. After all, behind the romantic tales of treasure and ships were very real people, naval battles, trade, colonial politics, and the dangerous life at sea. That’s why International Pirate Day can be not only an excuse for jokes but also a great opportunity to develop an interest in history.
That said, the main goal of the holiday remains the same—simply to have fun. So on September 19, you can forget about serious matters for a few hours, say “Ahoy!” to your friends instead of “Hello!” and imagine yourself as a crew member on an old-fashioned ship. After all, it was precisely such a simple joke nearly three decades ago that started the story of this unusual day.
