tybee island pirate fest | buccaneers bulletin | tybeeisland.com 7
Photo by: Wen McNally
Weigh ye anchors and hoist the colors!
Make way for the 14th Annual Tybee Pirate
Festivals New King & Queen!
Every year, two individuals who embody the
best qualities of our quirky little island are
carefully selected to reign over the Tybee
Island Pirate Fest, bringing to the celebration
all the enthusiasm and passion they offer
the community. This year we couldn’t be
luckier with Frank and Karen Kelly.
These two Pirates fell in love many moons
ago, but life got in the way, and they both
sailed on in different directions only to wash
ashore many years later on Tybee Island to
rekindle that love all over again. The Kelly’s
made Tybee Island their permanent home
in 2007, and four years later in 2011, they
purchased the old Hunter House, restoring
both its original name and historical charm.
All the hard work paid off, and the Beachview
Bed & Breakfast was named to the National
Historic Registry the very next year.
Ever loving a good party, Karen started the
Girls Night Inn fundraiser in 2012 bringing
the community together with food and drink
to raise funds for the Rysing Tyde food
pantry. Over the past 5 years, Girl’s Night
Inn has raised $45,000.
For the past 4 years, both the Kelly’s have
volunteered before, during and after the
Tybee Pirate Fest from helping on the Gate
to taking care of the bands. This year along
with Karens daughter Wendy Hicks, they
have added a whole new crafts section to
Little Matey’s Cove.
So, batten down the hatches and raise
the sails. Come one, come all, and join our
Pirate King Frank and Pirate Queen Karen at
the 14th Annual Tybee Island Pirate Fest.