It's rare to find a town that has it all: history, adventure, culture, shopping, and a thriving LGBTQ scene. While it's easy to daydream about such destinations as we peruse online, nothing beats the real connection to mother earth in all her splendor like the one you'll find in Provincetown, Mass.
An inclusive vibe with a unique history, there's so much to learn about the town located at the tip of Cape Cod. For decades, America's most creative minds like John Waters, Eugene O'Neill, and Anthony Bourdain have used its beauty as their muse -- a tradition that continues today. Provincetown's growing community of writers, artists, restaurateurs, and more, has turned this historic town with a deep LGBTQ past into one of the most dynamic destinations in New England. This year, however, marks a very special celebration.
To ring in the 400th anniversary of the pilgrim's first landing in Provincetown, the town will be throwing special events on top of their traditional lineup of festivals and annual weekend parties, leading to the sailing of the Mayflower II into Provincetown from September 10-14, a week that will see a full-scale recreation of the original ship with fun reenactments, special commemorations, and as always, affordable festivities.
The town's summertime events will be bursting with even more life. Annual favorites like Provincetown PRIDE (June 5-7); The Provincetown International Film Festival (June 17-21), and The Provincetown Portuguese Festival (June 25-28), a four-day affair celebrating Portuguese culture and heritage, will be especially festive.
Thankfully, the town celebrates individuality, expression, and community all year long. Single Women's Weekend (May 17-18) is the perfect excuse to start an annual ladies getaway tradition. Plus, the Womxn of Color Weekend (June 4-7) and Girl Splash (July 21-25) are always bustling with possibilities. Trust me, nothing beats getting to know someone while biking the town's scenic trails or hiking its famous sand dunes.
The magic of Provincetown isn't solely for summer travelers. Visitors will certainly turn up the heat at The Snowbound Leather Weekend (February 22-29), where there's always an excuse to wear leather. Not to mention, Halloween Weekend (October 29-November 1) and First Light Provincetown (December 27-January 2), the final big festival of the holiday season with fireworks and an epic Bike Ride, is the perfect way to end the year on a high note.
Entering a new decade, Provincetown's gorgeous beaches, art galleries, shops, and growing number of top-rated affordable restaurants and guesthouses are continuing the town's tradition of uplifting marginalized voices and creating new entrepreneurs.
Events like Bear Week (July 11-19), Men of Color Weekend (June 19-21), Family Week (July 25-August 1), and The Provincetown Carnival (August 15-22), a weeklong lineup of LGBTQ parties, art fairs, and costume balls welcoming nearly 90,000 visitors with a different theme each year, are always a guaranteed good time without breaking the bank. This year's Carnival theme will be "Holidays," so get ready to make the yuletide especially gay.
The best part is that despite the endless amounts of stories enriching the historic LGBTQ town, there are always more to be written. After all, that's the beauty of Provincetown: The best is always yet to come.
