What to do in Vancouver: Set Sail for the Pirate House

Wondering what to do in Vancouver (ish) for a little bit of swashbuckling fun this Halloween? We have the scoop on some great, kid-friendly Vancouver fun for pirate lovers of all ages. On Halloween night, set sail for a seemingly non-descript bungalow at 5970 Portland Street in South Burnaby. Between 5:00 and 8:00pm it will be transformed into the Pirate House – a pirate-themed yard display celebrating ‘honourable pirates’. Plus, it’s all for a good cause, raising money to help build a roof for the St. Stephen’s Children’s Centre in Uganda.

A Year-Long Collaborate Multi-Media Art Project

The Pirate House is the result of a year-long collaborative multi-media art project, created and coordinated by “Captain” Julie Desroches. It includes handmade contributions from family and friends both here in Vancouver and all across the world. The pieces are made from mostly recycled materials, making it both fun and eco-friendly. The display features a ship (of course), treasure hunt, inn, graveyard of dishonourable pirates and shrines to honourable pirates. Most of all, though, it’s just a whole lot of fun.

Celebrating Life is What to do in Vancouver this Halloween

Julie nearly lost her life to a serious illness this year, and the Pirate House, in part, celebrates her triumph. She shares, “Eight years ago I completed a doctoral dissertation on resilience, but this experience and the people who helped me through it taught me more than graduate school ever could. Anyone who knows me and all the art projects I have done over the years knows that this is a very ‘Julie’ way of celebrating being alive and expressing some of my journey and what I have learned from it. Above all, it is a thank-you to the people who stood by me and helped keep my ship afloat. They truly are my very honourable pirate crew.”

If you’re looking for a little extra fun while you’re out trick-or-treating, add the Pirate House to your list of what to do in Vancouver this Halloween. You’ll be contributing to a good cause, enjoying some kid-friendly Vancouver art, and helping to celebrate. What could be better than that?