Upcoming Cape & Islands Fairs and Festivals

Previews of six upcoming fairs and festivals—with details on many more

As you leaf through the following pages, we think you’ll find—as we have—that although the crowds on the Cape and Islands may thin out some after Labor Day, the schedule of activities taking place across the region remains robust and strong all autumn long. And there is such a variety of activities—fairs, festivals, celebrations, et cetera—there’s sure to be something on the Cape and Islands calendar to interest just about everyone.

One thing that always draws people together is food in all its delicious forms. In this section, Cape Cod LIFE intern Daniela Beasley writes about three upcoming festivals that are hyper focused on great stuff to eat and drink: the Cape Cod Brew Fest at the fairgrounds in Falmouth, the annual ClamBQ in Orleans, and the weeklong celebration that is Nantucket Restaurant Week. To top it off, she dishes on the ever-appetizing Art of Chocolate Festival held annually in Oak Bluffs, Martha’s Vineyard.

The Cape and Islands also offer bountiful opportunities this fall to enjoy and celebrate the arts and local communities. For starters, the Tennessee Williams Theater Festival marks its 10th anniversary in Provincetown with four days of performances and special events. Started a few years before that, the Yarmouth Seaside Festival rings in sweet number “37” this October with fireworks, a parade, and the event’s traditional pie-eating contests.