5/15 – 5/19, Nantucket Wine Festival – Receptions, luncheons, dinners, seminars, and tastings galore! Some events are already sold out – get tickets for your favorites and plan ahead. Details here.
5/17 – 5/27, Rhododendron Festival, Heritage Museums and Gardens – Walk among the thousands of world-famous rhododendrons in over 100 varieties. They make a great photo backdrop – plus, you can learn about their legacy on a self-guided walking tour, learn proper plant care and pruning techniques at the hands-on Garden Discovery Cart, and take home one of their signature plants from the special plant sale. There’s even a fun activity guide highlighting rhodies designed just for kids and families! It’s recommended that you buy tickets in advance; do that here.
THE HYARTS ARTIST SHANTIES WILL BE OPEN FOR THE SEASON THE WEEKEND OF 5/17!
Check out two shanty locations, at Harbor Overlook and Bismore Park. Meet Cape Cod artists and artisans working and selling their handmade, hand designed or hand crafted items. There is no fee to browse and of course if purchases are made it is a fabulous way to shop local and support the creative community. Artists frequently open early and stay late, and rotate weekly!
MAY AND JUNE weekends:
Friday through Sunday, May 17 – June 16, 2024: 11-6 & open Monday, Memorial Day
JUNE – AUGUST, seven days a week:
6/17 – 9/2, 2024, and open Labor Day 11:00am at least 6:00pm, at least 8:00 pm, July & August
SEPTEMBER, five days a week:
Thursday through Monday, September 5 – September 30, 2024: 11:00am – 6:00pm
OCTOBER weekends:
Friday through Sunday, October 4 – October 20, 2024: 11:00am at least 4:00pm
NOVEMBER SPECIAL EVENT:
Sweetacular Soiree on Gingerbread Lane at the Harbor Overlook
Friday & Saturday, November 29 – 30, 2024: 11:00am – 3:00pm
5/18 & 5/19, Cape Symphony “Remember When Rock Was Young, Barnstable Performing Arts Ctr – The Cape Symphony’s next show – and their final Pops show of the 23-24 season, will be a rollicking tribute to Elton John, led by the very entertaining Craig Meyer. Chances are you’ll be out of your seat and dancing to these tunes you know and love. Three performances due to anticipated demand – get your tickets here.
5/18, 11AM, 2024 Dave Birtwell Walk for Alzheimer’s, Scusset Beach Reservation – Join the Alzheimer’s Family Support Center for a walk along the Canal to raise funds for free services for local families living with Alzheimer’s/dementia. Live music, lunch, and community! Register here.
5/18, 9AM, Falmouth Art Center Artists’ Fair and Yard Sale, Falmouth Art Center – Art supplies and crafts at bargain prices! Pottery, Art, Books, Jewelry, Frames and lots more! This sale is rain or shine. Find out more here.
5/18, 9AM – 4:30PM, Boat America Course, Orleans Police Station – Improve your boating skills. Taught by U.S. Coast Guard trained instructors. Learn legal requirments of boating, nautical rules of the road, boat/paddlecraft handling and safety, basic navigation and trailering. Fee: $45 for course materials. Registration is required, email [email protected].
5/18 & 5/19, 10AM – 3PM, National Safe Boating Week, Stop&Shop Plaza, Orleans – The Nauset Flotilla of the US Coast Guard Auxiliary will be holding a 2-day event celebrating National Safe Boating week, on Saturday and Sunday, May 18 and 19, at the Stop&Shop Plaza in Orleans. We will be emphasizing such safety concerns as Wearing Life Vests, Taking Boat Safety Courses, Getting a free Vessel Inspection, New rules around Engine cutoff switches, Aide to Navigation, and Kayak and Paddle craft safety.
5/18, 3:30PM, The Seventh Symphony of Dmitri Shostakovich: A Powerful Story of Hope In Tempestuous Times, Livestreamed, and in person at the Performing Arts Building, Brewster – Free! National Book Award-winning author M. T. Anderson will tell the story of how Soviet composer Dmitri Shostakovich, trapped inside the city of Leningrad during the brutal siege by the Germans in World War II, wrote his Seventh Symphony (“Leningrad”) as an act of defiance while he was serving as a roof-top fireman watching for incendiary bombs. Incredibly, it was performed by a starving orchestra within the city — and then was smuggled out via the Middle East to be performed in the United States to promote the war effort. Shostakovich’s story is not only an inspiring tale of the power of music — it’s also an important example of how hope can transform spirits and almost miraculously save lives in tempestuous times.
5/19, 4PM, “We Are the Men,” a Male Voice Choir, Pilgrim Congregational Church – “We Are the Men,” a Male Voice Choir, will perform a benefit concert for Pilgrim Congregational Church on Sunday, May 19 at 4pm in the Pilgrim Church Sanctuary, 533 Route 28. Harwich Port. Tickets are $20 and can be purchased by calling the church office at (508) 432-1668 or Pam Roberts at (508) 237-0980, or by visiting www.pcchp.org. Formed in 2008, “We Are the Men” performs pieces of a rich mixture of American and international flavor. To learn more about this group, visit wearethemen.org.
5/19, 11AM, YPD Blue 5K Run for a Reason, Skipper Chowder House – This race is held annually in memory of K-9 Sergeant Sean Gannon, and is a fundraiser for the Yarmouth Police Relief Fund. Open to all! In addition to the adult race, there’s a kids’ race (12 and under) beginning at 10:15. Sign up here.
5/23, 5:30PM, Crescendo – An Evening of Joy w/ The Cape Symphony, Wychmere Beach Club – Join The Cape Symphony and their special guests Concertmaster Jae Cosmos Lee and Live Auctioneer Chuck Dukas for cocktails, appetizers, dinner, live and silent auctions, and a wonderful variety of live musical performances – all overlooking gorgeous Nantucket Sound. Proceeds benefit the Cape Symphony. Get your tickets here.
5/25, 10AM, Operation Flags for Vets, National Cemetery, Bourne – There will be a brief ceremony at 10AM honoring those who have died in service to our country, and flags
will be available to be placed at the conclusion of the ceremony. Lots of help needed and it’s a great way to pay your respects -removal will happen the following Saturday, June 1. For more info click here.
5/26, 11:30, Troops In The Spotlight, Capetown Plaza, Hyannis – The largest Memorial Day Weekend Event in New England features troops standing at attention for 24 hours
to honor fallen soldiers, Gold Star families, and veterans, and to inspire a collection of items to bring comfort to our troops stationed overseas. For more info on how to help, click here.
5/27, 7PM, St. Christopher’s Church to Host Organ Recital – St. Christopher’s Episcopal Church of Chatham, Mass. will host an organ recital by Maurice Clerc on Wednesday, May 22, at 7 p.m. Mr. Clerc is the Emeritus Organist of Dijon Cathedral, France, after being the titular organist from 1972 to 2018. This will be a 60-minute recital featuring music of Buxtehude, Cochereau, Fleury, Langlais, Telemann, and Tournemire. Mr. Clerc will play the recently installed Dobson pipe organ. All are welcome to attend the recital, to be held in the church’s sanctuary at 625 Main St., Chatham. Suggested donation: $20. For details, contact the church office, (508) 945-2832, or visit stchristopherschatham.org/concerts.
5/30, 10AM, MASS Hire Job Fair, 529 Main St, Hyannis – MASS Hire is hosting a job fair featuring dozens of local employers who are eager to meet YOU! Bring your resume. More details are here.
6/1, 9:30AM, TK’s 10K (or 5K!), The West End, Hyannis – This memorial race was established to honor the life and service of Hyannis Fire Department Capt. Thomas “TK” Kenney, a technical rescue instructor with over 45 years of experience in emergency, fire, and training services. Its mission is to provide local first responders on the Cape and Islands with resources to encourage, support, and sustain their pursuit of the best available training and education.Sign up to do 5K or a 10K. Your bib will serve as your ticket to the after party at The West End. Ticket options are here.
6/1 & 6/2, 6/8 & 6/9, 10:30 – 5:30, Cape Cod Pirate Fest, Yarmouth Fairgrounds – It’s back – two weekends of swashbuckling entertainment on four different stages.Enjoy rollicking music, stormy shanties and Buccaneers galore! Family friendly – get your tickets here.
6/1 & 6/2, 10 – 2, 6th Annual Sea Fair, Sandwich Glass Museum – The museum will showcase glass artists and their amazing talent, offering aquatic and nautical themed glass items – including whale tails, conch shells, waves, sailboats, various sea creatures, and other nautical ornaments. This outdoor event is free to attend. Touring of the Museum is paid admission. More info here.
6/2, 9AM, Tour de Barnstable, Aselton Park – This scenic 38-mile charity bike ride (w/ a 20-mile option) through the seven villages and beautiful shoreline of Barnstable benefits the Cape Wellness Collaborative and Tommy’s Place. Still time to sign up (through 5/31) – entry includes a commemorative long sleeve hooded shirt, entry into the post-race party, two free beers (21+ only), and food from several Cape Cod’s most popular restaurants. Register here.
6/2, 3PM, A Night at the Movies w/ the Cape Cod String Quartet, Cultural Center of Cape Cod – A cinematic journey through the last one hundred years of film music. Iconic songs from soundtracks, presented by Kyle Davis, Dan Flonta and the Cape Cod String Quartet. Tickets are $25. Order yours here.
6/3 – 6/6, Gregorian Chant Retreat – Chants of the Martyrs, Community of Jesus, Rock Harbor – This retreat is based around the celebration of St Boniface, Missionary and Martyr, June 5th. Participants will join the Community of Jesus for singing the Liturgy of the Hours. Sessions will focus on the unique chants for martyrs in the Liturgy of the Hours and from the Mass. All are welcome – beginners as well as those already proficient in Gregorian chant. (Or Join us Sept 8-11 for the Gregorian Chant Retreat this Fall.) Click here for more information.
6/8, 10AM, Heritage Museums and Gardens 52nd Annual Auto Show – This family-friendly event highlights antique and classic automobiles, hot rods, and custom cars in excellent original or restored condition, all vying for awards. Enjoy lunch from Lilly’s Café, vote for your favorite car, visit the family activity area to build a LEGO® vehicle or participate in an auto show challenge, and watch the exit parade of show cars at 2 pm. Your ticket, while time-specific, includes a pass to explore the grounds, Hidden Hollow, the JK Lilley Auto Museum, and more for the rest of the afternoon. Get your tickets here.
6/8, 10AM, Chatham Airport Annual Open House – Come see and explore historical & current military & civilian aircraft, working model railroad displays, antique & classic cars/trucks, local museum & organization displays, live music and fun for the kids. Food Trucks will be available for lunch, and Hangar B will be open for regular business. Find out more here.
6/9, 8AM, Jack Harrison Memorial Bike Ride, Station Ave, Yarmouth – The Cape Cod Cycling Club hosts this event for distance cyclists, in memory of the former D-Y High School English teacher who logged tens of thousands of miles on his bike. There are 3 options – from Yarmouth to Provincetown and back (100 miles), a 100 KM option and 50K option. Register for the ride here.
6/13 – 6/16, 6/20 – 6/23 & 6/27 – 6/30, She Said Yes!, Captain Bangs Hallet House Museum – Come view our exquisite collection of vintage wedding dresses, many from local Yarmouth and Cape Cod brides. Approximately 30 gowns and accessories will be on display, ranging from 1820 through the 1970s, all artfully arranged throughout the Captain Bangs Hallet House Museum. Don’t miss this unique display of nuptial finery during this limited exhibition! Reservations are highly suggested as capacity is limited to 30 persons at a time for this special exhibit. Walk-ups will be admitted only as space allows. Timed entry tickets are available by clicking the button below and chosing a date and time from the calendar. Exhibit admission: $15 Members & Youth (12-17); $20 Non-Members. Click here for more information.
7/3- 8/16, 2024 Cape Cod Chamber Music Festival – Hailed by The New York Times as “a triumph of quality,” the Cape Cod Chamber Music Festival (CCCMF) announced its 2024 summer concert series, running from July 30-August 16, 2024. Celebrating its 45th season, the Festival presents 10 live performances over three weeks in five venues across Cape Cod. In what has become one of the region’s largest cultural events attracting thousands of concertgoers each year, this summer’s Festival is bursting at the seams with creativity and virtuosity. Prominently showcasing acoustic sounds, this year’s Festival is centered around the string quartet. Each week is anchored by back-to-back concerts by today’s leading string quartets: Borromeo, Ying, and Escher. Other Festival highlights include a free jazz concert, the Cape Cod debut of Tangent Winds, and more. The complete schedule is below and available at www.capecodchambermusic.org.
