Provincetown welcomes back visitors this Summer

The Summer season is around the corner, and Provincetown, MA, is ready to welcome visitors. From LGBTQ theme weeks with COVID-compliant events to enjoying a poolside cabaret singer to outdoor attractions like whale-watching, picnicking on the beach, dune tours, and bike-riding, to a getaway focused on wellness and tranquility, there are so many ways to experience a Provincetown vacation. The small businesses of Provincetown, supported by the Provincetown Business Guild (PBG), are planning a myriad of fun ways to enjoy your summer in America’s original LGBTQ destination.

“Last year, the business community worked together and did an outstanding job to ensure Ptown’s visitors had an enjoyable and safe getaway,” said Bob Sanborn, executive director of the PBG. “Provincetown has been a haven for the queer community and a place of tolerance, diversity, and creativity for over a century, and we are not stopping now.”

The annual LGBTQ theme weeks of Provincetown’s Summer, including Pride, Womxn of Color Weekend, Independence Week, Bear Week, Girl Splash, and Carnival, will be recognized this year with entertainment, dining experiences, gallery shows, specialty cocktails at bars and restaurants, and more.

“While our beloved Summer theme weeks won’t include large-scale events, they are still a great time to visit Ptown,” said Fred Latasa-Nicks, PBG board president. “World-class entertainment, stunning beaches, gallery strolls, unique shops, dining for every taste, and an extraordinary variety of lodging options are all available this summer to create the unmatched Provincetown experience we are known for.”

Express your queer self in Provincetown. The PBG is launching a new way to celebrate the many theme weeks of Provincetown’s summer season. Express Yourself Day is a pre-determined day during each theme week that encourages visitors to convey their individuality and dress up in colorful, creative ways. From wigs to heels, speedos to singlets, and everything in between, Provincetown’s ‘be yourself’ ethos is the driving force behind these special days. The PBG is selling limited edition “Express yourself” t-shirts that visitors can purchase for some self-expression inspiration.

“We want visitors to know we're here, we're queer, we’re still fabulous, and Provincetown is the #1 destination where individuality is encouraged and celebrated,” said Sanborn. “The ‘Express Yourself’ days are our way of offering people a fun and comfortable way to express that individuality in true Provincetown fashion.”

Provincetown is known for attracting the best in entertainment from across the talent spectrum. This year’s lineup, performing at various venues across Ptown, includes Broadway stars Kristin Chenoweth, Stephanie J. Block, Lillias White, and Kelli O’Hara, drag superstars Dina Martina, Bianca Del Rio, Varla Jean Merman, and Miss Richfield 1981 (celebrating her 40th anniversary), comedians Judy Gold, Matteo Lane, and Deven Green, musical artists Suede, The Boy Band Project, Anne Steele, the off-broadway musical comedy revue Naked Boys Singing!, and Provincetown favorites Jon Richardson, Seth Rudetsky, Zoe Lewis, Thirsty Burlington, Jonathan Hawkins, and many more.

The PBG is establishing the first official Provincetown Drag Council. Throughout the summer, members of the Council will host drag brunches, perform at benefit drag shows, stroll Commercial St., welcome visitors, handing out masks, and posing for pictures. The Provincetown LGBTQ Center (The Center) is sponsoring and producing programming this summer, including Drag Queen Story Hours and book readings with queer authors.

“We created The Provincetown LGBTQ Center because we felt it important to honor Provincetown’s pivotal role in queer history and shine a light on its enduring position as a haven for LGBTQ people,” said Sanborn. “The Center’s programming also offers an opportunity to give back to the community that has made Provincetown the magical place it is today.”

Provincetown’s LGBTQ calendar is listed below. New events are added regularly. Visit ptown.org for up-to-date schedules of events and initiatives, including dates, times, and locations, as well as what is currently open in Provincetown and last-minute lodging availability. For the most up-to-date Covid-19 protocols in Provincetown, visit Provincetown-ma.gov.

Provincetown’s Summer 2021 LGBTQ Calendar

May

• Fast Ferry service from Boston to Provincetown resumes May 16

• Single Women’s Weekend: May 21 - 23

June

• Womxn of Color Weekend: June 4 - 7

• Provincetown Pride: June 4 -6 Pride Express Yourself Day: June 5

• Let the Record Show: A Political History of ACT UP New York, 1987-1993, a book reading with author Sarah Schulman: June 14, 6 p.m.

• Vacaya’s Ptown Summer Jamboree: June 14 – 20

• The Provincetown International Film Festival: June 16 – 25

• Men of Color Weekend: June 17-20

• Cabaret Fest, Broadway at the Beach: June 23 - 27

• Love's Next Meeting: The Forgotten History of Homosexuality and the Left in American Culture, a book reading with author Aaron S Lecklider: June 29, 6 p.m.

July

• Independence Week: July 2 – 9

• Independence Week Express Yourself Day: July 4

• Bear Week: July 10 – 18

• Bear Week Express Yourself Day: July 12

• Girl Splash: July 21 – 24

• Family Week: July 24 – 31

• Family Week Express Yourself Day: July 26

August

• Naked Boys Singing - 20th Anniversary performances benefitting the PBG: August 11 & 12, Crown & Anchor Waterfront Outdoor Theatre

• Provincetown Carnival, Somewhere Over the Rainbow: August 15 – 21

• Carnival Express Yourself Day: August 19

September

• Swim for Life & Paddler Flotilla: September 11