31. Pops By The Sea
City: Cape Cod, MA
Category: Annual Events & Festivals
Telephone: (508) 362-0066
Description: The Boston Pops Esplanade Orchestra comes to town with conductor Keith Lockhart to perform some wonderful late-afternoon music, both classical and popular tunes as well as patriotic marches and sing-alongs. Held at the Hyannis Village Green, the concert usually takes place on the first Sunday of the month and is sponsored by the Arts Foundation of Cape Cod. Lawn seats cost $15 ($20 the day of the concert, $5 for children 6 to 12), and premium seats cost $50.
32. Craftsmen Fair
City: Cape Cod, MA
Category: Annual Events & Festivals
Telephone: (508) 385-2970
Description: The Society of Cape Cod Craftsmen has been sponsoring this popular juried crafts showcase for half a century, making it the second-oldest crafts organization in New England. The three-day craft celebration features about 50 craftspeople. It is held the second Tues, Wed, and Thurs in Aug, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. the first two days and until 7 p.m. on Wed. Admission is free.
33. Annual Pops In The Park
City: Cape Cod, MA
Category: Annual Events & Festivals
Telephone: (508) 225-1386
Description: Grab your lawn chair or blanket, pack a picnic dinner, and enjoy the music. The Annual Pops in the Park, held at Eldredge Park in Orleans, is an outdoor concert by the Cape Cod Symphony Orchestra, conducted by the symphony’s newest maestro, Jung-Ho Pak. The concert is held the third or fourth Saturday of the month. Tickets cost $75 for table seats, $20 for field admission, and $10 for children ages 6 to 17 (all prices are increased the day of the event; check the Web site for details).
34. Carnival Week
City: Cape Cod, MA
Category: Annual Events & Festivals
Telephone: (508) 487-2313, (800) 637-8696
Description: Just when you thought you had seen it all in P-town, along comes Carnival Week. Sponsored by the Provincetown Business Guild, this weeklong celebration, usually held the third week in Aug, features musical productions, guesthouse parties, balls, drag bingo, karaoke, tea dances, nightclub entertainment, and an outrageous parade complete with floats and entertainers. Be careful as the festivities have been known to get a little out of hand, but for some that’s the draw.
35. Bourne Scallop Fest
City: Cape Cod, MA
Category: Annual Events & Festivals
Telephone: (508) 759-6000, ext. 10
Description: For more than 30 years Bourne has hosted the largest scallop festival on the East Coast during the third weekend in Sept. Thousands converge on Buzzards Bay Park over three days to sample the seafood and attend the crafts fair. There are children’s games, rides, plenty of live entertainment, and, of course, scallops. It’s $5 to enter (free for kids under 12), and there are plenty of things to spend your money on, like great food and local handmade crafts.
36. Cranberry Cluster Dog Show
City: Cape Cod, MA
Category: Annual Events & Festivals
Telephone: (508) 362-6506
Description: This four-day event is held by both the Cape Cod Kennel Club (www.capecodkc.org) and the South Shore Kennel Club (www.southshorekennelclub.org). Any AKC-licensed dog that meets eligibility requirements is allowed to enter and applications must be submitted three weeks before the show. More than 1,000 dogs representing more than 125 breeds compete. Spectator tickets are $5 for adults and $2 for children ages 12 and younger.
37. Cape Cod Glass Show
City: Cape Cod, MA
Category: Annual Events & Festivals
Telephone: (508) 888-0251
Description: The Sandwich Glass Museum has sponsored this mid-Sept glass show for two decades. Nearly 50 glass dealers from throughout the United States display samples of antique and contemporary glass. Proceeds from this event benefit the Sandwich Glass Museum. Admission is $6.
38. Provincetown Aids Support Group Annual Live And Silent Auction
City: Cape Cod, MA
Category: Annual Events & Festivals
Telephone: (508) 487-9445
Description: This Provincetown auction is held every Labor Day weekend and is attended by tourists, residents, and even some celebrities who bid on everything from works of art to furniture and jewelry. Proceed benefit the town’s AIDS support programs. Nearly every Provincetown artist contributes artwork to this worthy cause.
39. Harwich Cranberry Festival
City: Cape Cod, MA
Category: Annual Events & Festivals
Telephone: (508) 430-2811
Description: Since it started as part of the National Bicentennial Celebration in 1976, the Harwich Cranberry Festival has grown into a town-wide extravaganza. In 2009 financial restraints led to the announcement that the festival would be canceled, but a smaller version was planned. Best to check with the festival committee and Web site to see if it is going to happen in the future.
40. A Taste Of Harwich
City: Cape Cod, MA
Category: Annual Events & Festivals
Telephone: (508) 432-1600
Description: Get a taste of Harwich, all under one roof. This evening event, sponsored by the Harwich Chamber of Commerce, allows you to sample fine cuisine from a number of Harwich restaurants. A Taste of Harwich takes place in early Sept.
41. Eastham Windmill Weekend
City: Cape Cod, MA
Category: Annual Events & Festivals
Telephone: (508) 240-7211
Description: Windmill Weekend is a community celebration, featuring a parade, road race, games, sand art competition, entertainment, antique car show, kids’ activities, a chowder contest, a pancake breakfast, square dancing, and an arts and crafts show. The whole event focuses on the Eastham gristmill, which was built in Plymouth way back in the 17th century. The celebration usually takes place the weekend after Labor Day. US 6 is closed for a few hours for the parade, so pay attention to the date if you are planning on passing through.
42. Truro Treasures Weekend
City: Cape Cod, MA
Category: Annual Events & Festivals
Description: This celebration of Truro has been going on since 1991 and seems to get bigger every year. It takes place during a long weekend in mid-Sept and features a historic home tour, a classic and antique car exhibit, an arts and crafts fair at the Truro Central School, a flea market at Atlantic Spice, a pancake breakfast, a croquet tournament on the village green, grape stomping at the Truro Vineyards and Winery, a treasure hunt and face-painting for the children, and is topped off with a favorite local tradition: the “Dump Dance,” complete with live music.
43. Great Provincetown Schooner Regatta
City: Cape Cod, MA
Category: Annual Events & Festivals
Telephone: (508) 487-3424
Description: Honoring the importance of 19th- and 20th-century schooners to the economy of Provincetown, this stunning regatta involves vessels up to 110 feet long. Held on a weekend in early Sept, it starts off with a Parade of Sail along the Provincetown waterfront, followed by the noon start of the regatta.
44. Annual Harvest Day Celebration
City: Cape Cod, MA
Category: Annual Events & Festivals
Telephone: (508) 548-5600
Description: The Cape Cod Farmers Market, face painting, pumpkin totem pole, pumpkin decorating, scarecrow making, balloon animals, free cider and donuts—they all add up to autumn fun. The Village Association sponsors the Annual Harvest Day Celebration the first Saturday of the month.
45. Cape Cod Marathon
City: Cape Cod, MA
Category: Annual Events & Festivals
Telephone: (508) 540-6959
Description: This marathon, which begins and ends at Falmouth’s Village Green, attracts between 600 and 2,000 participants. Sponsored by the Falmouth Track Club and run the last week in October, it’s considered a Boston Marathon–qualifying event. The race starts at 8:30 a.m.