Provincetown, MA. When late fall transitions into the festive season, Provincetown dresses up, parties on, and exudes holiday whimsy, warmth and energy. In November and December, this LGBTQ+ haven at the tip of Cape Cod is a joyous and celebratory place to get into the yuletide spirit.
EVENTS GALORE
The inaugural Provincetown Food & Wine Festival, which runs November 4-7, was created to celebrate local chefs and restaurants. The scheduled events include a Tuscan Wine Tasting & Seminar, an Amalfi Coast Wine Dinner and a Champagne Drag Brunch.
Mr. New England Leather 2022 runs from November 19 -21, with a Gear Brunch and a Beer Blast, and the competition at the Paramount Nightclub.
As for Thanksgiving, not everyone knows that it was Provincetown, not Plymouth, where the Mayflower Pilgrims first made landfall. Ptown commemorates that moment with the Lighting of the Pilgrim Monument on November 11, the actual anniversary of the First Landing. Some 3,100 individual lights will be strung from the top of the monument and will continue to shine until January 6, 2022.
An annual Provincetown tradition is the building and the lighting of the Lobster Pot Tree in Lopes Square. The brainchild of artist Julian Popko, the “tree” consists of more than 100 stacked lobster pots that are then covered with ribbons and lights. It is a celebration of the hardworking fishing families of Ptown and this year’s annual lighting is set for November 27.
The holidays really hit their stride with Holly Folly, which runs all weekend from December 3 to December 5. It features the Holly Folly Shop Hop and Stroll, where shoppers are eligible to win fantastic prize baskets for shopping with participating stores. There’s also the Jingle Bell Run and Champagne Brunch, a Santa run in bathing suits. Not to mention dance parties, sing-alongs, and drag bingo. The festive spirit continues with the Cape Cod Chorale holiday concerts in the Town Hall on December 10 at 7:00 and December 11 at 5:00.
At the end of December, revelers can usher in the New Year in spectacular fashion at First Light, which runs from December 30, 2021 to January 2, 2022. There are holiday parties galore and highlights such as the Light Bright Bike Ride on New Year’s Eve. Then, on New Year’s Day, some brave souls will make the annual Polar Bear Plunge at noon. The grand finale is the amazing annual fireworks celebration on New Year’s Day at dusk, most easily watched from MacMillan Pier.
