A Beaufort Tradition For 50 Years

story by EMILY BURGESS photos by JOHN WOLLWERTH

Every July, Beaufort is a bustle of people. Vacationers and locals alike, flock downtown to experience the thrill of Water Festival. It’s been a staple in the Beaufort community since 1956, and the Pirettes have been a staple of Water Festival for 50 years.

Each year, you will see a gaggle of girls wearing matching clothing or Festival t-shirts, serving in a variety of capacities throughout the two-week event. They are seen during the parade, riding the same float from forty plus years ago, smiling and waving to the crowds. But, many enjoying the fun of Water Festival do not know much about the Pirettes or what they do each year for Water Festival and beyond.

Water Festival had been an annual event in Beaufort for 13 years before the idea and implementation of the Pirettes was made. During Elrid Moody’s year as Commodore, the idea came to fruition with the first group of ladies who were dubbed the “Pirettes,” an ode to the water-themed festivities, as well as the pirate costumes that they wore for several years after the inception of the group.
Gone are the days of the pirate costumes, as the entire event has moved to a more nautical theme throughout, but the Pirettes and their duties remain the same. “The face of the event” is the cliff notes version of their job description, but in reality, they do more that goes unseen to keep the event afloat each year.

The Pirettes serve as the Water Festival’s goodwill ambassadors by offering assistance to patrons during the event. They are available to help families with young children at the Lowcountry Supper by carrying food or corralling children, they put together food for event volunteers, roll thousands of T-shirts before Water Festival begins, run the Children’s Day events, answer phones in the service center and attempt to inspire other teens at the teen dance by being the first out on the dance floor.

“It doesn’t always work to get the teens dancing,” laughs Brooke Schott, the Pirette leader for the past six years. “Sometimes it’s even hard to get my Pirette girls out there to dance, but they do it.”
Schott has a deep connection to the Pirettes, as she was one in the 90’s. It’s also a family affair with her mother-in-law having served as a Pirette in 1974 and Pirette leader in past years, and her sister-in-law serving in the role in the past as well.

“We use the same float today that my mother-in-law rode on in the 70’s and I rode on in the 90’s. It gets work done to it, a paint job here or there, but it gets the job done,” said Schott.
The Pirette’s duties aren’t just limited to the two weeks of Water Festival. They spend their yearlong term participating in events and serving whatever needs arise for town celebrations and promoting Water Festival all year. They hand out candy for Downtown Trick-or-Treating, which kicks off their responsibilities for the year, followed by the Veterans Day parade, Thanksgiving Day parades and other various parades throughout nearby counties, Night on the Town, which includes three night and days of holiday activities on Beaufort’s waterfront, and the Water Festival 5k/10k in April, where the girls run water stations throughout the course.

It’s not an easy task to become a Pirette. The process starts each August when applications are due. Those eligible to apply are girls in 9th or 10th grade, and each year applications are received from girls from various local high schools and even those who are homeschooled. Once applications are received, each girl must be interviewed which usually occurs at the end of September or beginning of October. The interviewing panel includes the Pirette leader, Commodore of Water Festival, and various other volunteer leaders.

Those who successfully make it past the interviewing stage receive a letter shortly after and then their duties kick-off with handing out candy for Downtown Trick-or-Treating. Water Festival is actually the end of their tasks and their position as a Pirette comes to a close with a final crew picnic at the beginning of August.

“This is beneficial for girls who are maybe clammed up and don’t know how to get out there in the community. They meet so many people serving in this role. The interview process alone is beneficial as they have never done that before,” said Schott. “These are things that they need to learn for future success. They also receive community service hours for serving as a Pirette which is huge for high school students.”

Despite the long list of arduous tasks, being a Pirette is a fun and coveted role by girls in our community. While wearing matching clothes from Old Navy and riding a parade float are appealing, the real excitement and fun of being a Pirette is in the relationships established amongst the group.

“They get really close and get to know each other well despite being from different schools,” Schott said.

Being a Pirette comes with a large time commitment throughout the year. Each girl and her parents are made aware of the required tasks at the beginning of the term and sign-off acknowledging their desire to participate and commit. This also contributes to why the position is limited to high school freshmen and sophomores, as most of them do not have after-school jobs yet allowing for the time needed to serve. Pirettes usually serve for one year, but in rare cases, some girls are allowed to return for a second year, based on their prior performance as a Pirette and feedback received from others.

“We select girls based on their written responses, whether they can rock their interview and by checking references. We are looking for girls who are friendly. Their job is to be able to have answers to questions that patrons have and if they don’t they better find it,” Schott said.

There is no set number of Pirettes chosen per year. It depends on the number of applications they receive and the caliber of applicants. There have been years with as many as 22 girls selected and some years with much fewer. This year, fourteen girls were selected to serve and with Water Festival fast approaching, they are gearing up for two jam-packed weeks and also are nearing the end of their role as a Pirette.

The costumes and tasks continue to change over the years as Water Festival grows and evolves, but the excitement and honor of being a Pirette have remained the same. It was an idea that started 50 years ago, which led to an essential part of a local tradition while helping to equip girls in our community for future success. In a community that is steeped in tradition, this is one that will undoubtedly remain.