CAPE COD FESTIVALS & EVENTS
Cape Cod Canal Centennial Celebration, Bourne, July 25-August 3. The week long celebration of the Cape Cod Canal’s centennial will be filled with maritime-themed events for the whole family, from historical exhibits and tall ships on display to a tugboat parade and children’s activities along the canal. There will be tours of the historic Charles W. Morgan, the last surviving wooden whaling ship.
Cape Cod Chamber Music Festival, Cape Wide, July 27-August 22. The pianist Jon Nakamatsu and the clarinetist Jon Manasse are the artistic directors of this series of concerts in various towns. They will perform in a lineup that includes the Emerson and Cypress string quartets, as well as the Boston Cello Quartet.
Water Street Wing Fling, Sandwich, August 2-3, Two days with lots of fun things to do! Thanks to Marshland’s sponsorship, most activities are free. Bring everyone you know to celebrate Sandwich’s 375th anniversary with hot air balloons, car shows, craft show, inflatables, Live music, kayak tours, Roaming Railroad, LEGOland and lots more. You’ll have a great time!
Pops by the Sea Concert, Hyannis, August 10, The Pops by the Sea concert is Cape Cod's single largest cultural event. For each of the past twenty seven years we have welcomed one of the nation's finest and best-loved musical ensembles - the Boston Pops Esplanade Orchestra - to the Hyannis Village Green. This fundraising concert regularly sells out to a live audience of over 15,000 - the Cape's largest single audience. Cape Cod residents and visitors from throughout the United States and abroad gather for the afternoon's entertainment. Together they sit at VIP tables, festival seating or on the lawn and enjoy this magical afternoon event, one which benefits art and culture on Cape Cod all year long.
Carnival Week in Provincetown, August 16- 22, Imagine Mardi Gras, moved to New England. Lots of partying, wild costumes, a colorful parade down the main drag (yes, pun intended!), and more partying. That's Carnival time in P-town!
Falmouth Road Race, Falmouth, August 17, The New Balance Falmouth Road Race celebrates its 42nd running this year and the spirit which made the first Falmouth so special is still present today. Cheer 12,000 elite athletes from around the world race-a 7-mile run from the drawbridge in Woods Hole to the beach in Falmouth Heights.
Modern House Tour, Wellfleet, August 17, Enjoy a tour of mid century modern architecture on Cape Cod. The tour includes the newly restored Weidlinger House, the Siguerson House by Serge Chermayeff, the ‘Buttery’, an antique building altered and added to by Hayden Walling, Jack Hall and Jack Phillips at different times, and The Peterson/Schlesinger house, one of the original prefab barracks. Drinks and finger food will be offered at the Weidlinger House at the end of the tour.
Downtown Plymouth Waterfront Festival, August 23, Enjoy over 230+ artisan & crafter booths, food vendors, 2 stages of live entertainment, Motor Head's Cruise-In Car Show, Ducky Dash, Kids Activities and much more! Festival is free to the public.
Pops in the Park, August 23, Orleans, What could be better that listening to the Cape Cod Symphony Orchestra conducted by Maestro Jung-Ho Pak on a warm summer evening? Not much. An event not to be missed!
Cape Cod Festival of Magic, Yarmouth, August 26-28. While summer in Yarmouth is always a magical time of the year, the last week of August promises to be extra magical as some fifteen magicians, many well known in magic circles around the world, will be performing in the annual "Cape Cod Festival of Magic." Join us at the state-of-the-art Dennis-Yarmouth High School Auditorium for a spectacular display of magic sleight of hand, grand illusions, creative artistry, and side-splitting comedy.
Eastham Windmill Weekend, September 5- 7.
Eastham's Windmill Weekend is an annual community festival, a fair, and a family party all rolled into one and is held on the weekend following Labor Day. Windmill Weekend is a series of events held on Windmill Green and other locations around town. Activities include a sand art competition, road races, band concerts, arts and craft show, tricycle race, and dancing. Continuous entertainment is held on the Green both Saturday and Sunday. A highlight of the weekend is the public recognition, as Windmill Honorees, of one or more Eastham citizens, who have demonstrated unusual dedication to the town through volunteer activities. Excitement peaks with Sunday’s Parade.
Harwich Cranberry Arts and Music Festival, September 13-14, Shop for paintings, jewelry, photography, and other works of art while enjoying a wide variety of live on-stage entertainment.
There is quite a line up of musical talent this year. You won't want to miss it.
Cape Cod Food Truck Festival, Falmouth, September 6, Food Truck Festivals of New England is pleased to announce the return of the Cape Cod Food Truck Festival presented by Hood Cream and featuring Green Mountain Gringo at the Cape Cod Fairgrounds. The festival will feature food truck favorites, live music, beer and wine, sampling tents and more!
It will feature over 20 of New England’s most popular food trucks serving up a variety of fan favorites, including fresh seafood, Asian fusion, BBQ, local ice cream, gourmet pizza, whoopee pies, and more. The festival will also feature more than two dozen local Etsy artisans.
Participating trucks include: Cape Cod Canolli, The Local Scoop, Frozen Hoagies, Cupcake City, Pasta Pot, Munchies Food Truck, Uyghur Kitchen, M&M BBQ Ribs, Away Café, and Plouf Plouf Gastronomie.
Truro Treasures Weekend, September 19-21, The weekend begins on Friday with an historical talk in the afternoon and an evening cocktail party, followed by Saturday and Sunday activities including a pancake breakfast, Historical Society program, arts & crafts show, flea market, kids events, antique appraisals, dog show, silent art auction and live art demonstrations, Saturday evening dinner, 5k run/walk, golf tournament, Highland Center tour, Truro Police Department Tour and K-9 demonstration, antique and classic car show, adult treasure hunt, our closing event, the grape stomp and jazz festival, and much more! The Mission of Truro Treasures is to sponsor a weekend of fun for the entire town of Truro that builds community spirit. Many events are free and when funds are raised they are given back to various local non-profit organizations.
Celebrate Our Waters Weekend, Orleans, September 20-21.The purpose of this weekend is to showcase the area’s precious bays, ponds, lakes, marshes, creeks and beaches and thereby increase general awareness and appreciation of our valuable water resources. The event was originally conceived of as simply a few guided walks highlighting Orleans’ ponds and saltwater estuaries but it quickly mushroomed into a two day festival including walks, bike rides, talks, tours, kayak trips, cat boat sailing, aquaculture events, a sand sculpture contest and a bonfire on Nauset Beach.
Bourne Scallop Festival, September 21, Come and enjoy New England’s largest Scallop Festival under the Big Tents along the banks of the Cape Cod Canal. The Bourne Scallop Festival has a proud 44-year history in the community, attracts over 50,000 visitors from all over the world, and has been awarded Cape Cod Life Magazine’s “Best Festival Winner”. Families can enjoy non-stop entertainment, a midway of rides and games, and a professional Juried Arts & Crafts Show, featuring over 100 vendors. Enjoy our famous scallop and herb-roasted chicken dinners, plus a food court offering hamburgers, hot dogs, lobster rolls, chowder, salads, raw bar, strawberry shortcake, beer, wine and so much more! Open rain or shine!
Cape Cod Brew Fest, Falmouth, September 27, Join us for this celebration of American craft brewers and sample from 50+ breweries and over 200 styles of beer. The event will have two, three-hour sessions from 1:00 - 4:00 p.m and 5:30 - 8:30 p.m. Each session will feature live music and food from over a dozen vendors. Food trucks will be on-site providing additional dining options. VIP ticket holders will be able to sample additional rare and specialty beers from select breweries as well as enjoy complimentary food. The Cape Cod Brew Fest is a 21+ event. No one under the legal age will be admitted.
Barktoberfest, Plymouth, October 4, Activities for the whole family all day long. Pet-related vendors, food, live entertainment, contests, rabies clinic, blessings and more. Contests for costume, loudest bark, fastest tail wag. Sponsored by the Plymouth Chamber of Commerce.
Cranberry Harvest Celebration, Wareham, October 11, Join us Columbus weekend and help us celebrate a New England tradition and see the beauty of the cranberry harvest during our old-fashioned family festival! During this special year, we're pleased to announce that the Celebration has been designated as one of the top 100 events in North America! The festival features old-fashioned activities and whose admission fee includes bogside demonstrations and cranberry-related activities.
Yarmouth Seaside Festival, October 11-13, The Yarmouth Seaside Festival packs a lot of activities and entertainment into one weekend: A craft fair with over 100 exhibitors, a giant parade, a kayak and canoe race, a 5K road race, kids rides and games, a pie-eating contest, a sandcastle building competition, and a mammoth fireworks display over Sea Gull Beach on Sunday night.
Cape Cod Restaurant Week, October 13-19,From Harwich to Sandwich, from Provincetown to Barnstable, and with some options brand new and some more well-established, many of the towns here have lots of culinary resources worth exploring. Restaurant Week Cape Cod has been operating on a bi-annual schedule since its establishment in the fall of 2009. The 3 - 4 course prix fixe theme, with pricing set from $25 - 35 per person chosen by each location, has remained consistent throughout the event's history. Check the Restaurant list or investigate their Restaurant Week Menus to find lots of specific info on the wide variety of fine eateries here to tantalize your palate. It is a great opportunity to take advantage of the amazing value these fixed price exhibition menus deliver and to find some new favorites that may have been completely missing from your 'restaurant radar.
Wellfleet OysterFest, October 18-19, The OysterFest is a wonderful, small town event where the entire downtown is transformed into a pedestrian street fair. The festival highlights the shucking contest, but includes lots of food, local vendors selling homemade chocolate, jewelry, art, and more. There are educational booths, poetry readings, and live music.
Cape Cod Marathon Running Weekend, Falmouth, October 25-26, From its inception in 1978, the race has been a Falmouth Track Club event. In 1993 a marathon relay was added to the event and has grown to 210 teams. 2011 was our first year for the half marathon, it has proven to be a popular event that fills early each year, and it will continue to be held on Saturday morning creating a true Cape Cod Marathon Running Weekend!
Eastham Turnip Festival, November 22, Celebrate Eastham's buried treasure! This fun family event will include a cook-off, food tastings, games, contests, music and local vendors. All are welcome and there is no admission fee.