Today we’d like to introduce you to Kelly Collins.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
After retiring in 2019 and buying a house on a lake, I decided to start a business to train people on how to operate their boat. The name of the business is Buckeye Lake Boater Training. I offer free seminars; Buckeye Lake Women and Boats and Buckeye Lake Boating for Beginners. I host the seminars in the spring before people are getting their boats on the lake for the season. I teach the basics on boating along with boating terminology, rules/regulations, presentation of the different types of boats and navigational tips for Buckeye Lake.
I also teach hands-on boater training, I meet you at your boat or dock for a 3 hour training session on the lake. Focuses on dock training and how to navigate the lake. I’m the first and only ODNR certified trainer in the state of Ohio. This seasonal business operates April through October, I only train 2 or 3 days a week depending on weather conditions.
My wife and I started a second business last May, Buckeye Lake Pirate Fest. It’s a Festival for Pirates, Steampunk and Mermaids. The Festival includes a Pirate Marketplace and a Treasure Hunt with 40 Treasure Chests around the lake. Last year we were open Friday evening and Saturday with over 3200 guests attending Pirate Marketplace and we had 6300 entries in our Treasure Hunt.
This year we’re expanding the Pirate Marketplace to 3 days, Friday May 16, Saturday May 17 and Sunday May 18. The Treasure Hunt will be all 3 days too. Pirate Fest is a family friendly festival with a Pirates Cove for the little ones and a Pirate Ship Playground too. We’re also hosting a Walk the Plank Pirate Parade and a haunted Pirate attraction.
The Marketplace is free to attend and Treasure Maps are free too. We’re hoping to double our attendance this year with the expanded days and additional marketing.
We started a FB group; Buckeye Lake Pirates about 6 years ago. We now have over 900 members. We started the Pirate Fest with encouragement from our members. We were the first Pirate Festival on Buckeye Lake and we’ve garnered support from the local community and businesses. The festival kicks off the summer with a bang! Yes, we fire a cannon to start the festivities along with cutting of a ribbon by sword.
We enjoy having fun!
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
We quickly learned we didn’t have enough parking. So this year we rented a vacant lot across the street and offered free parking and 35 additional vendors. We also had complaints from some people who said they worked 6 days a week and Sunday was their only day off, so we added Sunday to Pirate Fest this year.
The Treasure Hunt was on one day, with 40 chests. A few people tried to reach every Treasure Chest, so they just ran in and out of the businesses scanning to win a Chest. And some people registered at 4-6 locations and spent money at every stop. We expanded the Treasure Hunt to 3 days so guests can visit more locations and hopefully spend some time at each stop.
We had a staff of 45 last year and we’ve added 15 more staff this year to accommodate Sunday and the expanded Marketplace.
Struggles? I could use more sleep. It’s just two of us planning Pirate Fest and we work on it for about 8 months.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
Pirate Fest is a family friendly gathering of cosplayers who like to entertain each other and have fun! We planned it as a themed cosplay gathering with exhibitor shopping and activities for kids. Seeing thousands of Pirates of all ages strolling through Pirate Marketplace and the sidewalks around the village is exciting. Many are on a Treasure Hunt. We provide a free Treasure Map to help them locate the 40 Treasure Chests around the lake.
We’ll have 100+ exhibitors selling everything from Pirate gear to lake decor, crafts and boating services. We have food trucks and treats too.
We’re fortunate to have many sponsors helping us host a great show.
What makes you happy?
I enjoy seeing others having fun. I like to dress as a Pirate when I go out in public. I like the reaction I get when I see people watching me and smile or wave. Many ask to have their picture taken with me. I’m enjoying retirement, but I’m not really retired. I set my own schedule and live life the way I want.
Pricing:
- Pirate Fest is FREE to attend
- The Treasure Hunt is FREE to participate
- Boater Training seminars are FREE
- Hands-on Boater Training is $199 for a 3 hour workshop
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.buckeyelakepiratefest.com/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BLPirateFest/
