Did you know that September 19^th is International Talk Like a Pirate Day? You might not find this day on your wall calendar, but it’s a fun celebration of the bold, whimsical pirates of our favorite tales on the high seas—and, of course, it’s a great excuse to throw a pirate-themed pool party!

In today’s blog, we will be looking at six tips for throwing a perfect pirate pool party your friends and family will love.

Create a nautical atmosphere

A big part of any party-planning process is, of course, the atmosphere you create through the use of decorations and party ware. Hang up some fish nets or design your own skull-and-crossbones banners to hang between patio columns. Serve your food with a twist, too, by storing refreshments in an inflatable treasure chest cooler and using toothpicks with paper sails or flags to serve simple, tasty snacks.

Set the right ambiance with swashbucklers’ songs

Music is another essential for any themed party, so set the right kind of ambiance with swashbuckling tunes your friends and family will enjoy. You can find many songs and pirate-themed playlists online, so put together a list of your favorites and play it over your outdoor speakers for instant entertainment.

Add inflatable pirate gear

You can find an abundance of inflatable pirate gear for your party. Pick up a couple of ship-shaped floats for your guests to move around in, or toss in a collection of inflatable swords for young kids to play pirate with. These small touches will make your pool party even more enjoyable—and, of course, true to the spirit of the day!

Play high seas-inspired games

Plan to play a few of your favorite high seas-inspired games by the pool. Guests can “walk the plank” into the deep end (if they’re experienced swimmers, of course!) … and what better time is there to try a cannonball than at a pirate-themed party? You can also have swimmers dive for “buried treasure,” or items like diving sticks and torpedoes that will sink to the bottom of your pool.

Hand out pirate party favors

Before everyone leaves, be sure to send them home with a special way to commemorate the day. You can pre-make (or have your guests assemble their own) pirate hooks, by fashioning a hook out of aluminum foil and sticking it through the bottom of a plastic cup. You can also give out tasty party treats like treasure-inspired chocolate coins or gummy worm fish bait.

Talk like a pirate

Of course, we can’t forget about the name of the day! Throughout your pool party, be sure to have fun and talk like a pirate would, and have your guests do the same. It’s an easy way to let loose and share some laughs!

We hope that these ideas help you achieve a pirate party that would please even the boldest buccaneers. Have fun, and be sure to share your party stories and photos with us!