About Talk Like a Pirate Day
International Talk Like a Pirate Day is a light-hearted, tongue-in-cheek holiday celebrated every year on September 19, when people around the world are encouraged to swap their everyday speech for hearty "Arrr!"s, "Ahoy matey!"s and "shiver me timbers!". It began in 1995 as an inside joke between two friends in Oregon, John Baur and Mark Summers, and went global after humour columnist Dave Barry wrote about it in 2002.
Since then the day has grown into a genuine pop-culture phenomenon, embraced by schools, offices, bars, sports teams and brands. Fans dress as swashbucklers, restaurants run pirate-themed deals, and social media fills with nautical slang. There is even an official pirate-speak glossary to help landlubbers get into character — all in the spirit of harmless fun and a good excuse to act like a pirate for a day.
Talk Like a Pirate Day always falls on September 19, so the counter above simply counts down to the next one. Whether you are planning a themed party, a classroom activity or a workplace bit of mischief, add Talk Like a Pirate Day to your own countdown page and count down to the silliest day on the calendar — yarrr!
Upcoming dates
| 2026 | Saturday, September 19, 2026next |
| 2027 | Sunday, September 19, 2027 |
| 2028 | Tuesday, September 19, 2028 |
| 2029 | Wednesday, September 19, 2029 |
| 2030 | Thursday, September 19, 2030 |
FAQ
When is Talk Like a Pirate Day?
International Talk Like a Pirate Day is September 19 every year. The countdown above shows the exact days, hours and minutes until the next one.
Why is Talk Like a Pirate Day celebrated?
It is a purely for-fun holiday — a tongue-in-cheek excuse to use pirate slang and inject a bit of silliness into the day.
How is Talk Like a Pirate Day marked?
People talk in pirate slang, dress as buccaneers, and enjoy pirate-themed deals at bars and restaurants, while schools and offices run playful activities.
Who created Talk Like a Pirate Day?
It was invented in 1995 by John Baur and Mark Summers of Oregon and popularised worldwide by columnist Dave Barry in 2002.