Provincetown's Portuguese Festival Offers Great Food, with Plenty of Free Events and Entertainment for the Whole Family!

The Portuguese flag welcomes visitors from around the world to Provincetown,

Provincetown's 2018 Portuguese Festival is underway with some 30 events on the schedule, as you'll see below, many of them free and open to the public.
Highlights will include entertainment for kids and adults, a parade on Commercial Street, the 71st Blessing of the Fleet, and, of course, the food!

There will be opportunities all around the town to enjoy authentic Portuguese cuisine. I never miss the Portuguese Soup Tasting, which will be today from noon till 3 PM at the Seamen’s Bank Tent at the Bas Relief Park, across Bradford Street from Town Hall.
There will be dancing to live bands, performances by Portuguese dancers in costume, comedy and much more, with 5 events and shows especially for kids. The celebration began last night with food and dancing, and will continue all weekend.
Saturday evening's Fado Concert is not to be missed, and Sunday afternoon will bring an old-fashioned outdoor band concert, in front of Town Hall. Below is a bit of info from the Festival website, including the full schedule of events and performances from now through Sunday evening. Get out and enjoy as many as you can!

2018 Portuguese Festival & Blessing of the Fleet

People come from around the world to celebrate Portuguese heritage and culture at the annual Provincetown Portuguese Festival & Blessing of the Fleet.

The annual Festival is four days of live music, dancing, parades, incredible food, games and more. With over 30 mostly free activities, there is something for everyone to enjoy!

Festival Weekend is capped off with The Blessing of The Fleet where boats decked out in their finest line up to receive the blessing for a safe & prosperous year. We invite you to join us June 21 through June 24 and share the heritage!

Friday, June 22, 2018

12:00pm - 2:00pm

Capt. Ken Silva Fishing Derby for Kids at MacMillan Pier. A Free event!

12:00pm - 3:00pm

Portuguese Soup Tasting the Seamen’s Bank Tent at the Bas Relief near Portuguese Square. It features soup from fine restaurants in Provincetown, Truro & Wellfleet! Entertainment at the Bas Relief by the Dory Bar Blues Band. Tickets at the door.

12:00pm - 5:00pm

Face Painting in Portuguese Square. A Free event!

2:00pm - 4:00pm

Portuguese Writers & Poets read at the Harbor Lounge. Harbor Lounge is located at 359 Commercial street across from the Public Library. A free event!

2:30pm - 4:00pm

The Great Lobster Crate Race for kids of all ages at MacMillan Pier. A free event!

3:00pm - 6:00pm

Music & Dancing on stage in Portuguese Square. A free event!

5:00pm - 8:00pm

The Lobster Pot restaurant & Cape Tip Seafood presents the Lobster Bake in Seamen’s Bank Tent at the Bas Relief near Portuguese Square. Feast on lobsters and more plus a cash bar for oysters, clams and shrimp. Beer & Wine available too. No Reservations required. Tickets At The Door. Brought to you by The Lobster Pot and Cape Tip Seafoods.

6:30pm - 7:30pm

Music for all ages with Cape Verdean music with Danny Carvalho and Band on stage in Portuguese Square. A free event!

8:00pm - 10:00pm

Music for all ages with the great Capitalistas on stage in Portuguese Square. A free event!

9:00pm - 1:00am

Homecoming Get Together with the Old Jug Band at Bubala's By The Sea. A Free event!

Saturday, June 23, 2018

10:00am - 12:00pm

Motta Family Kids Games & Cookout at Motta Field. A great place for the whole family to enjoy fun and food. A free event!

10:30am - 2:00pm

Live Entertainment and Portuguese Dancers in Portuguese Square. Free!

11:30am - 7:30pm

Lions Club Portuguese Food Court in Seamen’s Bank Tent at the Bas Relief near Portuguese Square. A feast of Portuguese food and more plus beer, wine and music. Food & Beverages are priced individually. No cover charge!

2:00pm - 4:00pm

Entertainment for kids of all ages by the Toe Jam Puppet Band. A favorite with the little ones! It’s on stage in Portuguese Square. A free event!

3:00pm - 5:00pm

Portuguese Festival Parade on Commercial Street. A highlight of the Festival with a fantastic group of Dancers, Musicians, Floats and more will start at the Harbor Hotel and travel through town to Franklin Street. Come early to get a good spot!

4:30pm - 5:30pm

Entertainment in Portuguese Square continues A Free event!

6:30pm - 7:30pm

Comedy by the Portuguese Kids in the Lions Club Portuguese Food Court under the Seamen’s Bank Tent at the Bas Relief near Portuguese Square. A free event!

7:30pm - 9:30pm

An early evening FADO concert at the Provincetown Town Hall. Courtesy of the Provincetown Banner, enjoy amazing performances of traditional Portuguese folk music by Celia Maria, Sonia Bettencourt, Sandi Batista and  Daniel Guerra. Accompanied in the guitar by Viriato Ferreira and directly from Portugal Louie’s da Silva and our own Viriato Ferreira! Contributions at the door are appreciated! Town Hall is a handicapped accessible building.

9:00pm - 12:30am

Cap off a great day with live SAMBA music under the stars! Join the fun and dance the night away in Portuguese Square. A free event!

Sunday, June 24, 2018

10:30am - 11:30am

Fishermen’s Mass at St. Peter the Apostle Church in Provincetown. Celebrated by Bishop Edgar M. daCunha S.D.V

11:30am - 12:30pm

Portuguese Dancers perform authentic routines wearing fabulous costumes in Lopes Square while you wait for the Procession. A free event!

12:00pm - 1:00pm

After Mass at St. Peter the Apostle Church a Procession leaves as a group for the short walk to MacMillan Pier for the 71st annual Blessing of the Fleet. They are bearing banners that honor the fishing fleet past & present.

12:00pm - 4:00pm

TASCA Portuguese Cafe on MacMillan Pier. Sample the taste of Portugal with a host of delicacies including a Beer & Wine cash bar!

1:00pm - 3:00pm

Follow up the Blessing with Portuguese Music and Dancers! They are performing out on MacMillan Pier. A free event!

1:00pm

71st Blessing Of The Fleet. Honoring a tradition in Provincetown, boats decked out in their finest parade before Bishop Edgar Da Cunha S.D.V. to receive their blessing. The fleet will be judged for their decorations too. A free event!

4:00pm - 5:00pm

Enjoy a Traditional Band Concert in front of Town Hall featuring St. Anthony’s Band from Cambridge, its a free event!

4:00pm - 7:00pm

Get Together and celebrate the last day of the Festival at the Governor Bradford. Ed Sheridan and friends will be performing live. A free event!

Planning for 2019? We'll see you for the 2019 Festival June 20 - 23!

Despite This Cold Weather, Thousands Enjoy First Light Provincetown, Our 6-Day Celebration of the New Year!

Ring in the New Year in Provincetown, with more than 70 events in our annual First Light celebration.

It's New Year's Eve, and we're right in the middle of our famed annual First Light festivities in Provincetown, where thousands have been celebrating the New Year since Thursday, with 36 more events and fireworks over the harbor still to come!

Special New Year's Eve dinners, entertainment, film, live music, galleries, parties, shopping, concerts, dancing, family fun, New Year's brunches, champagne toasts and the Polar Bear Plunge are just a few of the events (several of them free!) taking place throughout the town through Tuesday, January 2nd.

Food ranges from street festival favorites like sausages, soups, waffles and pot pies to upscale dishes like roasted quail and free range veal in a great restaurant. There will be filet mignon, truffle mac & cheese, extraordinary seafood, as well as a simple bowl of great clam chowder. Vegetarians will find plenty of choices as well.

Go online to get the complete First Light Provincetown schedule, with links to information on events, accommodations, menus, a map of the town, and dozens of ways you can join us in this spirited, joyous holiday celebration.

As usual in Provincetown, there truly is something for everyone in this 6-day festival. There are special New Year's Eve menus and complete dinners from a three-course meal for $55 to a six-course Chef's Tasting Menu and champagne toast followed by live music and dancing into the New Year for $125. There are several free or no-cover events and parties of all kinds in venues all over town, variously offering party favors, hats, noisemakers, and at some, even a bit of free champagne for those of legal age.

Suede will give her annual New Year's concert Monday at 8 PM at the Crown $ Anchor.

There are New Year's Eve parties tonight, and more special dinners and fireworks parties tomorrow night. The fireworks will be on MacMillan Pier, scheduled for 5:30 PM on New Year's Day. You can watch this great display on your own from anywhere on the beach along the Harbor, or join the festivities at a number of waterfront restaurants and clubs, like Tin Pan Alley or The Crown & Anchor.

You can support the Pilgrim Monument and Provincetown Museum with a $50 donation that will give you a fantastic view of the fireworks from high above the town on the PMPM grounds, while enjoying wine, oysters, champagne and hors d'oeuvre. Several great fundraisers for PTown organizations are held during First Light.

There are also restaurants offering their regular menus this week, in case you just want a plate of pasta or a burger, and you may even find some off-season specials. And Fanizzi's will serve an extra Sunday Buffet Brunch this week, on Monday, New Year's day, from 10 AM until 2 PM. You'll find everything from their mixed fruit bowl and pastries to mussels steamed in white wine and herbs, along with French toast (real maple syrup, or course,) various egg dishes, sausage, bacon, the pasta of the day, breakfast burritos and more. At $14.95 for all you can eat, and just $8.95 for kids, that's a PTown bargain at any time of the year.

And for those of us who might be up on New Year's Day before most folks will get out of bed, Bayside Betsy's will be serving breakfast by 8 AM.

Hot mulled wine at The Canteen's food court and holiday market will warm you up.

Shop the holiday market at the Canteen, bringing local vendors and artisans together with a food court, hot drinks, bonfires and street food, along with free events like entertainment, a fireworks-watching party, and ice skating on the beach.

Some 30 guesthouses and inns are open during First Light, along with dozens of shops and galleries, and about 40 restaurants, bars and coffee shops. There's even free parking in all town-operated lots, and Operation Safe Ride offers a free, sober ride home on New Year's Eve from 10 PM to 4 AM, provided by designated Provincetown taxi and transportation companies, even if you're living or staying as far away as Orleans.

Again, you can find out about all of these things, and more, by checking the aforementioned First Light Provincetown schedule, then come and join the celebration in our beautiful little historic fishing village by the sea.

Here's wishing us all a happy, safe, healthy, joyous New Year!

Bem-vindo ao Provincetown! It's PTown's Annual Portuguese Festival, Thru Sunday.

Portuguese flags and dancers in native costumes will be seen on PTown streets
during our 2017 Portuguese Festival and the 70th Annual Blessing of the Fleet.

Provincetown’s yearly Portuguese Festival, and the 70^th annual Blessing of the Fleet, will be taking over PTown's streets and harbor from now until Sunday night. Ryder Street, next to Town Hall, will be closed to vehicle traffic as Portuguese Square once again colorfully comes to life.

A stage area is being assembled and cables stretched to accommodate singers, musicians and Portuguese dancers in native costume. Over the next several days and evenings this spot will host face painting, a puppet band, live samba music for dancing and many other events.

Squid stew with a crust of bread and oyster crackers goes great with a
sandwich of grilled linguica and a bit of mustard on a fresh Portuguese roll.

We’ll find Portuguese food, a lobster bake and a dinner party showcasing dishes from several great local restaurants, all under a giant tent at the Bas Relief park, with comedy and music turning up there as well.
There will be a band concert in front of Town Hall, as well as a concert of Fado music inside. We’ll have a parade on Commercial Street, along with the procession from St. Peter the Apostle Church to MacMillan Pier on Sunday for the Blessing of the Fleet, featuring marchers carrying banners honoring our local fishing vessels, both past and present.

In the 1960s,Provincwtown had a few hundred kids in school, and no shortage
of young Catholic boys to make a lengthy procession from the church to the
pier for the Blessing of the Fleet, which was also much larger in those days. 

On Sunday a special Fishermen’s Mass at the Catholic church will lead up to a sort of parade of boats in the harbor, where boats line up to proceed past the end of the pier, where the priest blesses each one for safety on the water and a bountiful fishing season. Anybody, in any kind of boat, is welcome to participate. Decorating your boat is encouraged, with recognition for the one judged to have the best decorations. That makes the procession of the boats being blessed more fun as well.

This postcard of the Blessing of the Fleet dates to about the 1940s.

Music, along with more Portuguese dancers, and, of course, much more Portuguese food will be found on the pier as well, and giant puppets are likely to be found wandering the streets at some point during the festival. All in all, more than 30 events are scheduled, with more than 20 of them absolutely free! There are events and games tailored to kids and families, and plenty for adults, too. And anyone with a stomach will find oodles of dinners, parties and food courts to satisfy any appetite.

Giant puppets are likely to turn up around town.

One of my favorite events is the Portuguese soup tasting, with the chance to try soups from many Outer Cape restaurants, and just $7 for all you'd care to eat. This event also includes entertainment by the Dory Bar Blues Band. 
The Fado concert and band concerts are always excellent. I hope to get to the lobster bake as well, and the food courts at the Bas Relief, behind Town Hall, and the Tasca cafe set up at the end of the pier.
Dancers in elaborate, traditional costumes will perform at Portuguese Square, on the pier, and will appear in the parade as well. Don't miss the chance to enjoy this splendid bit of Portuguese heritage. 
Get out and enjoy this wonderful time in Provincetown, celebrating the fishermen and other Portuguese settlers who brought their beautiful culture to this little New England fishing village.
Check out the full schedule of events for the 2017 festival and 70^th Annual Blessing of the Fleet, below. I’ll update it if I find out new info about events slated for the Surf Club, which was damaged in the Memorial Day fire.

• Thursday, June 22, 2017

5:00pm - 10:00pm

Seamen’s Bank Compartilhe Na Nossa Mesa or “Share Our Table”. A showcase of Provincetown’s best restaurants held under the Seamen’s Bank Tent at the Bas Relief near Portuguese Square. Music by the New Beach Band. Reservations are required.

 8:00pm - 10:00pm

Dancing to the music of the New Beach Band under the Seamen’s Bank Tent at the Bas Relief near Portuguese Square. Tickets at the door are $5.

• Friday, June 23, 2017

12:00pm - 2:00pm

Capt. Manny Phillips Fishing Derby for Kids at MacMillan Pier. A Free event!

12:00pm - 3:00pm

Portuguese Soup Tasting the Seamen’s Bank Tent at the Bas Relief near Portuguese Square. It features soup from fine restaurants in Provincetown, Truro & Wellfleet! Entertainment by the Dory Bar Blues Band at the Bas Relief. All you can eat for $7. Tickets at the door.

 12:00pm - 5:00pm

Face Painting in Portuguese Square. A Free event!

2:00pm - 4:00pm

Portuguese Writers & Poets read at the Harbor Lounge. Harbor Lounge is located at 359 Commercial street across from the Public Library. A free event!

2:30pm - 4:00pm

The Great Lobster Crate Race for kids of all ages at MacMillan Pier. A free event!

3:00pm - 6:00pm

Music & Dancing on stage in Portuguese Square. A free event!

5:00pm - 8:00pm

The Lobster Pot restaurant & Cape Tip Seafood presents the Lobster Bake in Seamen’s Bank Tent at the Bas Relief near Portuguese Square Fest on Twin Lobsters and more for $30 plus a cash bar for oysters, clams and shrimp. Beer & Wine available too. No Reservations required. Brought to you by The Lobster Pot and Cape Tip Seafoods.

6:30pm - 7:30pm

Music for all ages with Rick Anthony on stage in Portuguese Square. A free event!

8:00pm - 10:00pm

Music for all ages with on stage in Portuguese Square. A free event!

9:00pm - 1:00am

Homecoming Get Together with the Old Jug Band at the Surf Club. A Free event!

• Saturday, June 24, 2017

10:00am - 12:00pm

Motta Family Kids Games & Cookout at Motta Field. A great place for the whole family to enjoy fun and food. A free event!

10:30am - 2:00pm

Live Entertainment and Portuguese Dancers in Portuguese Square. Free!

11:30am - 7:30pm

Lions Club Portuguese Food Court in Seamen’s Bank Tent at the Bas Relief near Portuguese Square. A feast of Portuguese food and more plus beer, wine and music. Food & Beverages are priced individually. No cover charge!

2:00pm - 3:00pm

Entertainment for kids of all ages by the Toe Jam Puppet Band. A favorite with the little ones! It’s on stage in Portuguese Square. A free event!

3:00pm - 5:00pm

Portuguese Festival Parade on Commercial Street. A highlight of the Festival with a fantastic group of Dancers, Musicians, Floats and more will start at the Harbor Hotel and travel through town to Franklin Street. Come early to get a good spot!

4:30pm - 5:30pm

Entertainment in Portuguese Square continues A Free event!

6:30pm - 7:30pm

Comedy by the Portuguese Kids in the Lions Club Portuguese Food Court under the Seamen’s Bank Tent at the Bas Relief near Portuguese Square. A free event!

7:30pm - 9:30pm

An early evening FADO concert at the Provincetown Town Hall. Courtesy of the Provincetown Banner, enjoy amazing performances of traditional Portuguese folk music! Contributions at the door are appreciated! Town Hall is a handicapped accessible building.

9:00pm - 12:30am

Cap off a great day with live SAMBA music under the stars! Join the fun and dance the night away in Portuguese Square. A free event!

• Sunday, June 25, 2017

10:30am - 11:30am

Fishermen’s Mass at St. Peter the Apostle Church in Provincetown. Celebrated by Bishop Edgar M. da Cunha S.D.V

11:30am - 12:30pm

Portuguese Dancers perform authentic routines wearing fabulous costumes in Lopes Square while you wait for the Procession. A free event!

12:00pm - 1:00pm

After Mass at St. Peter the Apostle Church a Procession leaves as a group for the short walk to MacMillan Pier for the 70th annual Blessing of the Fleet. They are bearing banners that honor the fishing fleet past & present.

12:00pm - 4:00pm

TASCA Portuguese Cafe on MacMillan Pier. Sample the taste of Portugal with a host of delicacies including a Beer & Wine cash bar!

1:00pm - 3:00pm

Follow up the Blessing with Portuguese Music and Dancers! They are performing out on MacMillan Pier. A free event!

1:00pm

70th Blessing Of The Fleet. Honoring a tradition in Provincetown, boats decked out in their finest parade before Bishop Edgar Da Cunha S.D.V. to receive their blessing. The fleet will be judged for their decorations too. A free event!

4:00pm - 5:00pm

Enjoy a Traditional Band Concert in front of Town Hall featuring St. Anthony’s Band from Cambridge, its a free event!

4:00pm - 7:00pm

Get Together and celebrate the last day of the Festival at the Surf Club at the foot of MacMillan Pier. Ed Sheridan and friends will be performing live. A free event!

Provincetown Offers Holiday Revelers 150 Shops, Galleries, Restaurants and Accommodations

Good Scents, at 351 Commercial Street, brings us fragrant
products from around the world, joined by at least 80 more
PTown boutiques and galleries open for your holiday shopping.

I took a spin around the streets of Provincetown the other day and found more than 150 businesses open for folks who want to shop, eat and play in the relaxed and welcoming atmosphere of our holiday season. I counted more than 80 stores, boutiques, gift shops, galleries, hand crafters, and other unique purveyors of various goods and finery before I lost count of them all.

Tonight, Mac's Italian style celebration highlights seven varieties of
seafood. Click on the link at the left for Mac's New Year's Eve menu.

There are more than two-dozen wonderful restaurants open to serve you anything from a great deli sandwich to a splendid holiday meal with wine pairings and live music. You can enjoy shoulder season bargains and specials or immerse yourself in fine dining at its best.
Mac's Fish House, for example, offers choices ranging from its famous all-you-can-eat fish and chips dinner on Thursday nights for just $16, to tonight's Feast of the Seven Fishes. This special meal is a traditional Italian holiday feast.
Mac's is also pulling out all the stops for its special New Year's Eve Dinner, beginning with an amuse-bouche, followed by six courses, then dessert, with optional wine pairings available as well. This fabulous meal will be followed by live music from the Rip It Ups. A portion of the proceeds from this event will benefit SKIP, the Soup Kitchen in Provincetown. Call 508 487-6227 to inquire about reservations.

Click on the link at the right to reserve a room online, or call
508 364-2549 for the White Porch Inn's special winter rates.

Lodging in PTown varies widely from rustic simplicity to stylish elegance.
The multiple award-winning White Porch Inn, for example, is a jewel among dozens of inns, B&Bs, guest houses and hotels in Provincetown that are open throughout the holiday season. In fact, this fine inn and a number of others stay open year-round, often featuring great bargains on seasonal rates.
This immaculate B&B has the charming look of an old sea captain's home, while the thoughtfully renovated interior provides a unique backdrop for contemporary paintings by artists from all around the world. Guests often become attached to a particular painting during their stay. Happily, many of these artworks are for sale, gaining the place a fine reputation as an Art Hotel. In an international survey of comments and ratings by its visitors, the White Porch Inn scored 9.7 out of 10, which ranks it among the top 3 percent of those surveyed hotels around the world.

Suede's unique talent defies description,; her voice is truly her own. MUST SEE!

The jazzy, bluesy, fabulous vocals of Suede will be oozing out of the Paramount at The Crown & Anchor on New Year's day as the diva takes the stage at 8 PM.
In fact, The Crown & Anchor will be a very busy place over the holidays, with Bobby Wetherbee's famous sing-along piano bar, Thirsty Burlington's Christmas Special, drag bingo to benefit the Provincetown Business Guild, and a huge New Year's Eve dance party.
There will be special menus in the restaurant, along with Peter's award-winning wine list, and special room rates, too. There will also be a food court on New Year's Day as part of Provincetown's First Light celebration, and this will be a great spot to watch the fireworks that evening. Click the links above to see all the things going on at the Crown.
Come and enjoy Provincetown for the holidays, with something for everyone. Visit the PBG website for the First Light event schedule, including parties, entertainment, Hanukkah festivities, family fun, European style holiday market, a bike event, indoor farmers market, polar bear plunge, fireworks, and food events all over town. There's also a list of lodging and restaurants open to serve you. Come Join us! Create a New Year's tradition for yourself with our 2nd annual First Light celebration.

Three PTown Events This Weekend Offer Great Food, Shopping and Entertainment

Get homemade baked goods today at the Methodist Church bake sale in PTown.

There's a bake sale today at the United Methodist Church in Provincetown, at 20 Shank Painter Road, from 10 AM to 2 PM. There's no telling what kinds of tasty baked goods will be offered.
You're bound to find homemade cookies, brownies and a variety of holiday treats and festive goodies made by parishioners, with proceeds going to the church's student education fund.

See the Outer Cape Chorale and Chamber Singers
free concerts in PTown and Orleans this weekend.

The annual holiday performance of the Outer Cape Chorale got underway last night with the first performance of this year's program "O Be Joyful" at Town Hall in Provincetown.
There will be another performance of this free concert (goodwill donations are gratefully accepted) tonight at 7 PM at Town Hall, with one last chance to see this highly anticipated event on Sunday afternoon at 3 PM in Orleans, at Nauset Middle School.
Traditional holiday tunes will also be featured. Go a bit early to either venue, as this event generally plays to a packed house.

The Canteen brings a European style holiday festival to
Provincetown with food, fun,  entertainment and shopping!

The Canteen's very popular Holiday Market returns for weekends through New Year's Day. Fridays through Sundays until January 1st, from 11 AM till at least 7PM each night, you'll find this winter festival both indoors and outdoors at The Canteen, at 227 Commercial Street.
You'll find hot food and drinks, live music, theater performances, exhibits, local vendors, booths filled with crafts and gifts made by skilled artisans, and the list goes on…
This wonderful event was inspired by traditional European Christmas and New Year's festivals, providing food, fun and entertainment for the community and its visitors.
This year, an ice skating rink has been added, and Cape Cod Beer will be on hand, presenting a new winter brew, available only at this event. The beach at The Canteen will be a great spot to watch the fireworks, and a free champagne toast for all will celebrate the New Year.

With More Than 58 Gender Identities Currently Recognized, Provincetown Welcomes Fantasia Fair 2016

Provincetown welcomes Fantasia Fair, celebrating
gender diversity here every October since 1975. 

Fantasia Fair is underway, welcoming transgender people of all stripes to Provincetown. Among these folks we'll find a full spectrum of people who are pushing past the gender identity barriers traditionally foisted upon us all from birth.
This conference/fair/festival/celebration has grown both in scope and attendance ever since its first gathering here in 1975. It is the oldest and longest running event of it's kind. The week brings dozens of seminars, workshops, keynote addresses and panels, led by more than 40 presenters and experts in gender issues and topics.
As much a social event as a conference, the fair affords attendees the opportunity to experience "full immersion" as they feel free to spend the entire week, 24 hours a day, presenting their gender just as they choose. Provincetown offers a safe space and supportive community for those exploring gender identity. A number of partners, spouses and significant others also attend Fantasia Fair, with many of their own workshops and events, and a chance to develop friendships and create their own feeling of community as well.

Erin Spencer is wonderfully funny and original.

These visitors give back to PTown by raising funds for our local charities and community organizations while they're here, and in other ways, as well. One of those was last night's "Dinner and a Show" event, held at the Provincetown Theater. This annual function is free, and open to the public. It's a chance for local people and fair participants alike to meet each other and socialize together, and get to know each other.
The evening began with a sort of social hour. Standing at the bar, waiting for my turn to order, I met Barbara, active in the fair for many years, and the current director of the event. I met Sherri Gray, a therapist making a presentation today, but perhaps better known for the YouTube video of her song about marriage equality, called (What If We Are) Just Like You? It's been seen by some 77,000 people.
A nice buffet supper was catered by Angel Foods. Of course, I tasted everything, from the pork tenderloin with roasted vegetables to the lasagna with garlic bread. There was a great baked mac and cheese, and a very tasty shepherd's pie. At the same time there were interesting conversations going on in every corner. I've attended a few of these dinners over the years, and each time I've come away with a little greater understanding of this complicated, immense topic of gender diversity.

Jaye McBride said she had gone "too far, too far…" as bruising, hilarious
jokes about her family and difficult dad left the crowd roaring between gasps. 

Next came the entertainment, which began with a few numbers performed by several members of the Butterfly Music Transgender Chorus. This Boston based choir is among the first all-transgender singing groups in the nation.
The chorus was followed by Boston area comic Erin Spencer, who has a ready supply of material based on "the oddities of living as a transgender woman in the city." Boston comic Jaye McBride rounded out the evening. She has opened for comedians such as Gilbert Gottfried, Aziz Ansari, Bobcat Goldthwait and many others. She also won the Times Square Comedy Showdown. Both of these women were laugh-out-loud funny, and the audience loved them.
After the show there was dessert and coffee (thank you, Angel Foods,) and another chance to meet and mingle. This event will definitely be on my list to attend next year, and it should be on your list as well. Other events open to the public include tonight's Fashion Show, at the Crown & Anchor, 8 PM, and the Fantasia Fair Follies on Friday night, also at the Crown.
The Follies combine both professional and amateur talents, ranging from lip synch to dramatic readings to original songs served up through voice or musical instrument. Any kind of performance might be found here. This is always a fantastic show, bringing folks from far and wide to enjoy this very entertaining production. It will also give many people (some of them rather shy,) a chance to shine during their moment in the spotlight.
This is a fundraiser for SKIP, Soup Kitchen In Provincetown, where around 10,000 hot meals will be served over the coming winter, with a place of community offered to anyone who drops in. Over the years, Fan Fair participants have raised more than $50,000 for Provincetown and Cape Cod charities, nonprofits and community organizations.
Doors open at 7 PM, so you can get a good seat, maybe have a drink, and meet more people before the show starts at 8 PM. Have your dinner at the Central House at the Crown and they'll reserve priority seating for you, so you don't have to rush, or wait in line to get a good seat for the show. Let the restaurant staff know that you have show tickets and they'll take care of it for you. Dinner reservations are strongly recommended. Call the Central House at 508 487-1430.
Take plenty of dollar bills with you to the show, to tip the performers and show your appreciation. Proceeds from ticket sales and all tips will be donated to SKIP, so be generous as you reward performers for their courage in getting up on stage.

PIFF Brings More Than 50 Movies and Events to Provincetown Over Five Days

Pick up the film fest schedule at the box office, just beyond the
rotunda inside the Whalers Wharf, at 237 Commercial Street, or
in other likely spots, or go online to see what's playing and get
your tickets to see some of this year's most remarkable films.

The 18th Annual Provincetown International Film Festival is underway, running through Sunday night. This fabulous event comes in the middle of June every year, and typically brings more than 50 films and events to PTown in the space of just 5 days.
All over town, and stretching out as far as Wellfleet, there are films, seminars, talks, parties, and events honoring both filmmakers and actors, not to mention various awards to be bestowed on both first-timers and seasoned veterans of the movie industry.
Watch for stars like Cynthia Nixon and Illeana Douglas, and director Ang Lee, among others, any of whom might be found this week walking or pedaling a bicycle down Commercial Street.
You've missed your chance (Thursday morning) to hear Ms Douglas (Goodfellas, Cape Fear, To Die For, Grace of My Heart) talk about her passion for film. But Ms Nixon, this year's Excellence in Acting awardee, and Mr Lee, who is named as this year's Filmmaker on the Edge, will share the stage at Town Hall Saturday at 5 PM as they receive their awards and talk about their work.
As always, this amazing festival brings something for everyone, with feature films, shorts, foreign language, animation, multinational films, narratives, documentaries, student works, character studies, dramas, comedies, a couple of past favorites, and a couple of films with unflinching scenes of things that are downright hard to watch.
The goal of the Provincetown Film Society, and the point of this marvelous annual festival, is "to make Provincetown the global destination for creative exploration in film," and each year we stretch a bit closer to that lofty ambition. We thank the few actual staff members, the tremendous legion of volunteers, the filmmakers who travel all this way, and the local and national sponsors that make this wonderful event possible.
Now go on, get out and see a couple of movies. For some of these, this may be your only chance, ever, to see them.