This past weekend, the annual Portuguese Festival was held in Ptown, a fun event highlighting the town’s Portuguese heritage. This year, the event was held Thursday, June 26 through Sunday, June 29th with a variety of activities happening each day. Maybe the highlight of the festival is the parade which stretched down Commercial Street starting at 3 pm on Saturday. Here are a few pics we took of the event!
You can find out more about next year’s festival here!
You may have been to P-town before or at least read something about the magical vacation destination on Cape Cod. It is a sunny paradise throughout the summer filled with pool parties, whale watching, and walks along the beach. BUT, Mother Nature sometimes is in a bad mood and may occasionally sprinkle the town with a little rain. Have no fear! There are still tons of fun things to do in Provincetown when this happens. Here are 5 ideas for you:
One of the best things about Provincetown is the theatre scene. (Which is a big part of the history of the town). There are new shows coming in every week at places like The Crown & Anchor, Post Office, and Provincetown Theater. Plus, there are summer long acts that have been a part of the P-town tradition for years. If you have never seen Miss Richfield 1981, you are missing out, as she has come from her trailer in Minnesota (where butter is a spice and gravy is a beverage) for over a dozen years.
Take a little history break to learn about why that tall building stands in the middle of town. That monument commemorates the Mayflower Pilgrim’s first landing in the new world in 1620 before sailing onto Plymouth. You can climb up the 252 foot monument in about ten minutes and be rewarded with a fantastic view of the city.
Set overlooking the Provincetown harbor, The Red Inn is one of the best spots in town to enjoy a quiet cocktail with gorgeous views. The lounge air is comfortable with a fire in the fireplace on colder nights. The food is also phenomenal with fresh seafood and world famous oysters.
There are a ton of great art galleries in Provincetown offering every style throughout the town. One favorite is the Trevor Mikula Gallery which has a whimsical and colorful collection sure to bring a smile to your face. The gallery scene is a big part of what gives Ptown its sense of community and should not be missed.
Ptown is home to some amazing boutiques and shopping you won’t find anywhere else. One place that is worth a visit (and a swipe of the credit card) isCoffey Men which offers a handcrafted selection of clothing and accessories. There are only a few national chains in Provincetown (Marc Jacobs and the newly opened Kiehls) but tons of places to find the perfect gift for your loved one (or yourself).
Last Tuesday, we had the opportunity to experience one of P-town’s exciting new shows in town, Audition. Taking place every Tuesday at 10:00 all summer, this is a fun and creative opportunity for people to showcase their talents for the chance to win a $500 prize. For the opening night, we were dazzled with singers, interpretive dancers, drag acts and more!
Hosted by legendary drag superstars, Kevin Aviance and Marti Gould Cummings, the show begins with a professional performance from one of these two that gets the energy flowing right away for the audience. Throughout the show, this pair provides teaching commentary to the performers as well as some comical excerpts. Half the fun is their feedback!
You don’t want to miss out on this variety show delight that is sure to be all the rave in P-town this season. Each week is a unique show with new entertainers. Some will make you laugh, some will give you a surprise!
On May 31, contestants will compete in the first annual Amazing Cape Quest in Provincetown. Teams will begin at Town Hall at Noon then be dispersed to navigate their way through challenges and check-ins in order to be the first to the final destination. Winners will be greeted with prizes including a free weekend stay at one of the event sponsors, Cape Colony Inn.
“I am excited to help coordinate this event in Provincetown, where there is already such a great sense of community. The Amazing Cape Quest is a fun way for people to experience some of the businesses and attractions of the town and also learn a few pieces of trivia they may not have known. We are grateful to sponsors like Cape Colony Inn for their donations in making it possible,” explains Gregory Kiep.
The idea for the event came from a similar one held in Providence, RI each year as a fundraiser. The event producer, Kevin O’Connell, has successfully raised thousands of dollars for two area charities in the years he has been doing it. Kevin will be working with Gregory to create this same success in Provincetown.
In addition to prizes for the first to complete the challenges, contestants will be awarded a special prize for Best Costume. Teams are encouraged to be creative with their clothing while still being able to be a top contender!
As a special addition to the event, donations are being accepted for the Provincetown Center for Coastal Studies. The PCCS has worked for over 35 years towards the education and protection of marine mammals and coastline ecosystems. For more about PCCS, visit their website at coastalstudies.org
To sign up for The Amazing Cape Quest, visit capequest.eventbrite.comcapequest.eventbrite.com.
Participation is completely free although donations are accepted for PCCS. Teams will meet at Town Hall on May 31 at Noon with a reception following at the final destination with complimentary refreshments.
If you are a treasure seeker, you will want to mark your calendars for this year’s Monumental Yard Sale, which will be held the weekend of May 16-18. This “one man’s trash is another’s treasure” event that started out 14 years ago as a little gathering for stores to liquidate their previous year’s merchandise, takes place at hundreds of homes and businesses throughout Provincetown.
No matter what item you might be looking for, you’re sure to find it at this year’s Monumental Yard Sale. Walk or drive around town and you be amazed at the unique treasures you will discover along the way—from household items to paintings and nautical items. Not only will you find many bargains, but wonderful people and great scenery.
Crafts, art supplies, computers, lawn care and garden tools, cameras, phones, clothing, antiques, baby things and kids toys—name it and you will find it at Provincetown’s Monumental Yard Sale. So plan on making a day or weekend of it and come visit Provincetown, find treasures, enjoy friends and experience the beauty of Provincetown!
The Ragnar Relay Series is a series of long distance running relay races and is considered the largest relay series in the world. Participants Run, Drive, Sleep and Repeat the cycle for two days! Proceeds benefit local charities.
Each year 16 relays take place in the U. S. and Canada. This year’s Cape Cod Relay, presented by New Balance, will be held on May 9 and 10. The relay will begin at the Nantasket Beach Resort in Hull, head towards Plymouth, along the Canal and make its way up the Cape ending up in Provincetown.
Participants will run in teams of 6 or 12 members for 200 miles in a 24-36 hour time period depending upon the team’s pace. Individuals run three legs of the race ranging anywhere from a 5K to half marathon distance per leg.
There will be 36 exchanges—6 where both vans meet up—along the 200-mile journey to Provincetown. Exchanges give participants a chance not only to relax, but party with teammates! The six exchanges are:
Exchange 6, Duxbury Beach, Duxbury, Friday, May 9, 8:30 am to 9:00 pm
Exchange 10, Shaw’s Parking Lot, Plymouth, Friday, May 9, 2:00 pm to Saturday, May 10, 2:45 am
Exchange 12, Gallow Ice Arena, Buzzards Bay, Friday, May 9, 9:45 am to Saturday, May 10, 3:00 am
Exchange 18, Barnstable Intermediate School, Hyannis, Friday, May 9 5:15 pm to Saturday, May 10, 7:15 am
Exchange 24, Harwich Community Center, Harwich, Friday, May 9, 9:30 pm to Saturday, May 10, 1:45 pm
Alternate Waiting Area: Cape Cod Regional Technical School, Harwich, Friday, May 9, 9:30 pm to Saturday, May 10, 1:45 pm
Exchange 30, Nauset Regional Technical High School, Eastham, Saturday, May 10 1:45 am to 3:30 pm
Many of the exchanges will not only offer hydration stations and first aid, but indoor sleeping, hot showers, and food/snacks. For a more detailed list of all 36 exchanges, check out: http://www.ragnarrelay.com/race/capecod/legs
The Finish will be at the Pilgrim Monument, Provincetown, May 10, 9:00 am to 9:00 pm.
