A Pirate’s Ball! Celebrate the Caribbean with Folkmoot USA--As the primary fundraising event for the 2010 Folkmoot Festival, the Pirate’s Ball promises to be one of the most memorable events of the year. This new fundraiser will be held on Friday, May 7 at the Laurel Ridge Country Club from 6:30 to 10:30 pm. The evening’s festivities will be emceed by two Pirate Kings: Waynesville Mayor Gavin Brown and Haywood County Chamber of Commerce Board President Bruce Johnson. Guests can come dressed as pirates or wear any tropical-themed attire, although prizes will be awarded for the best pirate costumes! Heavy hors d’oeuvres, pirate cake by Kanini’s Catering, authentic rum (and virgin) punch for sale to benefit Folkmoot and a cash bar are just some of the amenities offered during the evening. Guests will also have the opportunity to bid on treasure chests filled with pirate booty, dance to island music by DJ Dave Tomlin and reach a hand into the depths of Davy Jones Locker to win door prizes! “Kidnapped” for $500 ransoms are Western North Carolina community leaders Scott McLeod, Publisher of Smoky Mountain News and Smoky Mountain Living Magazine; Chief of Police Bill Hollingsed, Folkmoot Board Member and former Wellco CEO Rolf Kaufman, MedWest Health System CEO Michael Poore, HomeTrust Bank Board Member Peggy Melville and Psychologist Dr. Lynne Barrett. Contact them (or Folkmoot USA offices—877.365.5872) to help raise their ransoms! Guests can even put other pirates in the brig during the evening and set a ransom for their release. Tickets are $60 per person, and can be purchased by calling Folkmoot USA toll free at 877.365.5872 or email dlavela@folkmoot.com. Sponsored by Champion Credit Union, BB&T Bank—Waynesville, HomeTrust Bank, Wachovia Bank, Sun Trust Bank and Old Town Bank.