Celebrate Summer the Cape Cod way with Festive parades, Fresh Seafood,and colorful Hydrangeas
Written by Kaelie Piscitello
Every person from Massachusetts (and around New England) knows Cape Cod is the place to go each summer. People line up on the Cape Bridge for hours every Friday, hoping to get over in time for a delicious dinner of fresh seafood and a long weekend of relaxation on one of the many clean beaches.
While I grew up going to New Hampshire for the beach, I can’t help but love the Cape, too. Its stores reflect the average preppy New Englander, and many people shop at places like Black Dog, Vineyard Vines, and Lily Pulitzer. People line up down the block for Polar Ice’s fresh waffle cones and swap old and new stories.
This year, the Cape will host annual local events that draw people off the beach and into the beautiful hydrangea-filled center.
Wellfleet Restaurant Week
Wellfleet Restaurant Week kicks off summer every year on the Cape the week following Memorial Day weekend. Over twenty restaurants, Wellfleet stores, and hotels participate and have great deals for all customers over the weekend.
Book early and get reservations so to avoid waiting for these delicious deals.
The Fourth of July
The Fourth of July will bring about one of the busiest weekends of the summer on the Cape, and with that comes dozens of fireworks shows around Massachusetts. To see them on Cape Cod, head over to Mashpee High School on June 28 for games, food, fun, and a show starting at dusk.
Rock Harbor hosts its fireworks spectacular on July 2. If this place seems too crowded, try watching them from Skaket Beach instead. Everyone will still have a great view! Provincetown Harbor and Falmouth Heights host fireworks on holiday and visitors can choose to watch them from a whale-watch boat or at the beach!
The entire stretch of land has celebrations all over the Cape, including a day of festivities and live music in Barnstable and Downtown Hyannis.
Yarmouth Sand Sculpture Trail
This fourteen-year-old tradition attracts families to see the incredible sand sculptures lining Yarmouth from May to October each year. In 2025, the Fitzysnowman Sculpting company will host the competition, and everyone can vote online at local businesses.
Each week, the Facebook group posts a sculpture, and people can guess where it is. If they guess the correct answer, the Sand Sculpture Trail will enter them into a contest. Vac is one of the best ways to celebrate summer in New England.
Whale Watching
One of the top activities in the Cape will always be whale watching. Whale watching has become a coming-of-age ritual for every child in Massachusetts to experience at least once in their early childhoods.
The peak time to see whales and seals on the Cape is from April to October. Companies will take customers from several ports around the Cape, including Barnstable and Provincetown. People can also choose to take ones departing from Plymouth, a small town neighboring the Cape.
Tours range from $40-$70 depending on the tour company and a passenger’s age.
The Hydrangea Festival
Everyone loves the Cape’s beautiful hydrangeas, and the Hydrangea Festival, which takes place from July 11 to 20, has the best blooms of the season. Several gardens have spaces for self-guided tours at $5 per person, and all guests can walk through and enjoy the colorful flowers there from 10 to 4 each day of the festival.
In addition to the gardens, flower enthusiasts can also attend workshops given by local horticulturalists. These professionals teach students how to care for hydrangeas and paint them depending on their specialty.
La Tavola Italian Feast
People from Massachusetts love to celebrate their Italian American roots, and as Boston prepares for its many feasts in the North End, Mashpee celebrates its Italian feast called La Tavola.
During this event, Mashpee becomes Little Italy, and 400 dinner guests will dine on a five-course meal hosted by Villagio Ristorante on August 1. Italian Tenor Aaron Caruso will provide the music for the celebration and, with his brilliant voice, whisk attendees away to Tuscany.
Provincetown Carnival
It wouldn’t be summer without the carnival coming to town, and P-Town hosts it yearly. From August 16-23, Provincetown will transform into an amusement park atmosphere, and tens of thousands of people will come to enjoy the sights, attractions, and food.
The carnival will end with a parade on the 21 on Commercial Street, and the party has live music and performances all week long.
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