Provincetown Portuguese Festival 2018 & Blessing of the Fleet

February 24, 2018 by arielle3

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The Provincetown Portuguese Festival & Blessing of the Fleet is one the most interesting and exciting annual events.

This year it’s on Thursday, June 21 to Sunday, June 24 2018

The streets transform from a historic downtown area to a red and green block party as well as you’ll see beautifully decorated boats with flags flying high and colors filling the air to honor the Portuguese fishing culture and their traditions.

This amazing and colorful festival is four days weekend celebration of the culture and heritage of the Portuguese in Provincetown. It is an annual event jammed packed with traditional Portuguese dancing, live music, parades, incredible food, games and so much more.

The Provincetown Portuguese Festival 2018 & Blessing of the Fleet begins with on Thursday evening with the “Share Our Table” event where local restaurants serve their most mouth-watering entrees. Sprinkled with the freshest spices and richest flavors, you will be delighted by the delicious lobster, shrimp, oysters, and clams dishes. On Saturday of the weekend festival, you’ll enjoy a parade held for the Portuguese Festival. There will also be face painting, live music, and most importantly, dancing. Traditional Portuguese dances bring the crowds to life with extraordinary numbers and fast-paced moves. You are sure to enjoy the smooth flow of the Samba and other entertaining dances while you are there!

The Provincetown Portuguese Festival 2018 & Blessing of the Fleet weekend is capped off with the annual Blessing of the Fleet at MacMillan Wharf. After a procession through town, boats decked out in their finest parade past, the bishop blessing the vessels and crew for safe and prosperous before their long and possibly dangerous journey. The Provincetown Portuguese Festival & Blessing of the Fleet is a great event for the all family and the best way to experience the beautiful, coastal Cape Cod community.

Thinking of booking a vacation? We invite you to check out our Cape Cod properties for your perfect stay.

Unwind, and enjoy the outdoors at our Sand Dollar House that sleeps 8. Walk half a mile to both Sea Street Beach, with scenic harbor views, lifeguards & a snack bar in the summer, and Main Street Hyannis, an interesting and eclectic all-American Main Street with specialty shops, restaurants and fun attractions. Hyannis is the largest town on Cape Cod and home to the “other” Kennedy family.

www.thesanddollarhouse.com

Or walk to jackknife cove beach from our kid friendly and charming The Whale House that sleeps 10 in the picturesque seaside village of Chatham, which is the quintessential Cape Cod Experience. Located halfway between Falmouth and Provincetown, right at the elbow of Cape Cod and surrounded on three sides by water. The town offers magnificent beaches, the lighthouse, wildlife, nature trails, bike path, and stunning views of the ocean.

www.thecapewhalehouse.com

Don’t miss this popular start-of-the-season The Provincetown Portuguese Festival 2018 & Blessing of the Fleet extravaganza, it will leave you with so many stories and memories, just don’t forget your camera or your appetite!

For more information go to:

https://provincetownportuguesefestival.com/

Travel Tip created by Arielle in association with Vacation Soup

Cape Cod Memorial Day Weekend 2018 Events

February 19, 2018February 18, 2018 by arielle3

Cape Cod Memorial Day Weekend is a wonderful holiday to spend with friends and family on Cape Cod. Although it might be too cold to sun bathe on the beach, you might want to go on lighthouse tours, art gallery openings, Go Sailing, take a fishing trip, rent a bike but also make sure to check out these special events…

The Hyannis Road Races on Sunday, May 27, 2018

Hyannis Half Marathon

Johnny Kelley Half Marathon

Harwich Cranberry Harvest Half Marathon

For more information:

http://www.greathyannisroadraces.com/

Cape Cod Maritime Days

If you love nature and historical educational activities, you could always go explore the free exhibit at the Cape Cod Maritime. This month-long event – May 1 through June 1, includes a variety of Cape-wide maritime-themed activities, like guided kayak excursions, lighthouse & walking tours and nautical art exhibits.

For more information:

https://www.capecodchamber.org/capecodmaritimedays

Figawi Race Weekend

The 47th Annual Figawi Race on Cape Cod Memorial Day Weekend is recognized as a top sailing event not only on the east coast, but nationally as well as internationally. Figawi Race Weekend kicks off the the Cape Cod and Nantucket summer season. Entries include over 200 sailboats ranging from families promoting the sport of sailing to competitive sailors alike, bringing three thousand sailors & visitors hailing from all over the country including the Caribbean, as well as locals.

The weekend begins with a Kickoff Party at Hyannis Yacht Club on Friday, May 25th, 2018. It is for competitors, friends, family, and Figawi fans. Beginning at 3 pm, there is a cash bar, coveted Figawi merchandise for sale, entertainment, and most importantly, Registration for entrants.

Early Saturday morning, crews begin gathering. Skippers and boat owners prepare their boats, gather their crews, and head out to the start line. The first boat officially begins at 10 am off the Hyannisport Jetty. But beginning around 8 am, the parade of sailboats head out of Lewis Bay, pass by Kalmus Beach, and gather off Hyannisport. The boats start from 10 am until approximately noon, depending on their handicapped start time. Around 200 plus sailboats in 13 divisions compete across Nantucket Sound, in various courses, to be the first one to reach Nantucket.

If you’d like to see them off, you’ll have good a good vantage point from Kalmus Beach, Orrin Keyes Beach, or Sea Street Beach in Hyannis.

http://figawi.com

Heritage Museum and Gardens, Sandwich

Rhododendron Festival

This is one of the Cape Cod events I look most forward to each spring! The grounds at Heritage are a sight to behold with thousands of Rhododendrons in bloom from late May into early June.

Plan to spend a few hours or more here, exploring the acres of gardens, miles of walking trails, and the museums filled with art, American history, and antique autos. The kids will love riding on the carousel!

Other Local Events For Cape Cod Memorial Day Weekend:

Hyannis: John F. Kennedy Memorial Trust Fund Committee’s annual Cape Cod Memorial Day ceremony will begin at 12:15 p.m. at John F. Kennedy Memorial, Ocean Street, Hyannis. Includes Cub Scouts from Pack 54, Barnstable Police Department Honor Guard and other special guests. The 2016 JFK Memorial Trust Fund Scholarship will be awarded to a Barnstable High School graduate.

Provincetown: Head to the tip of Cape Cod Memorial Day Weekend. The ceremony will begin at 11 a.m. at Doughboy Monument by Town Hall. Presentation of the colors by U.S. Coast Guard Station Provincetown; opening prayer by the Rev. Terry R. Pannell, Church of St. Mary of the Harbor; national anthem by Denise Russell. Guest speaker: Truro Police Chief Kyle Takakjian, also a U.S. Coast Guard reserve command master chief (retired). “America the Beautiful,” sung by Christina Okuniewicz. Provincetown Police Department Honor Guard will shoot off ceremonial volley. Lower Cape Concert Band will play taps.

Chatham: Chatham is a great little town to spend some time when you are on Cape Cod Memorial Day Weekend. Participants will assemble at Veterans Field Road parking lot at 9:30 a.m. and begin walk to five memorial sites at 9:55 a.m., with each stop featuring brief ceremony, wreath placement, rifle salute and playing of taps. Stops are at World War I Memorial to left of Community Center; World War II Memorial at Nickerson Park; Oyster Pond parking lot, where wreath will be laid on the water for those lost at sea; adjacent Korean and Vietnam Veteran Memorial; and Civil War Memorial at Seaview and Main streets, where Scott Hamilton will recite Gettysburg Address. The procession will end at Veterans Circle, where Scouts will lead Pledge of Allegiance; Laura Barabe will sing national anthem; We Are the Men, an all-male choir, will perform; and Sarah Marchio will play “Amazing Grace” on bagpipes. In case of rain, ceremony will be at 10 a.m. in Community Center, 702 Main St.

Check out our Sand Dollar House that sleeps 8 in Hyannis, the largest town on Cape Cod and home to the “other” Kennedy family.

www.thesanddollarhouse.com

Plan your 2018 Memorial Day 3-day weekend getaway trip to Hyannis!

Travel Tip created by Arielle in association with Vacation Soup

Cape Cod Beer Brewery

February 17, 2018February 16, 2018 by arielle3

The Cape Cod Beer Brewery is a very cool place to taste and purchase a delicious variety of local beers. You can also get a tour and see exactly how they make the beer and at the end you will get to taste a free sample of every beer available. Even if you are not a beer lover this can be a fun thing to do while on the Cape.

Check out our Sand Dollar House that sleeps 8 in Hyannis, the largest town on Cape Cod and home to the “other” Kennedy family. It’s only 3.5 miles to the Cape Cod Brewery.

www.thesanddollarhouse.com

Cape Cod Beer History/Timeline

April 2004:
Cape Cod Beer started out in April of 2004, brewing at the old Hyport Brewing Company at the west end of Main Street in Hyannis. They brewed there for almost 2 years…schlepping kegs across town to wash them in their storage space, and sold homebrew supplies out of a house in those early days…

Their first year they had 12 customers and one employee and delivered beer in a mini van. Their original system was a 7 bbl direct fired DME copper clad brewhouse with 3 x 15 bbl fermenters (still in use today).

December 2012

Cape Cod Beer signs a lease and takes over an additional 4,000 sq feet at 1336 Phinney’s Lane in Hyannis. This is the building two doors down from their Retail space. This new space houses the brewery’s fermentation tanks and is also where the packaging of their beer takes place and includes a 1,000 sq foot walk in cooler.

There was an expansion project during the winter of 2016, and currently consists of a 30 bbl 3 vessel system from Premier Stainless Systems. Fermentation/Cellaring includes: 2 x 60 bbl, and 9 x 30 bbl fermenters along with 2 x 60 bbl jacketed brites, 2 x 30 bbl jacketed brites , 1 x 20bbl single wall brite, 6 x 15 bbl single wall brites and 2 x 7 bbl single wall brites.

They have a maximum annual capacity of approximately 12,000 barrels. They brew on average 8-10 times a week during the high season, and about half that during the off season.

They self distribute their products within approximately 50 miles of the brewery – from Plymouth to Provincetown. In total they have about 500 accounts that carry their beer, roughly 350 bars or restaurants and another 150 or so package store/liquor stores that carry their beer. You can find Cape Cod Beer near you by checking out their website!

http://capecodbeer.com/2015/beer-finder/

Tours & Tastings

Cape Cod Beer is family and dog friendly. Must be 21+ to enjoy our beer. Dogs must be on-leash. Dogs and children must be well behaved.

Retail Hours:
Weekdays (M- F): 10 am to 6 pm
Saturdays: 11 am to 4 pm
Sundays: CLOSED

Guided Tours:

Once daily Monday through Saturday at 11:00 am.

Self-guided tours and tastings all day.

Cape Cod Breer is a production brewery, so one tour a day is all they can handle in terms of interrupting their warehouse space. If you miss the tour for the day feel free to come by for a TASTING anyway!

Beer Tastings:

Available during retail hours.

$6 – Taste 3 oz samples of five different beers and walk away with a souvenir logo tasting glass!

Visit The Cape Cod Beer Garden

In the late spring through the early part of fall, weather permitting, the Cape Cod Beer Garden is open outside. The retail staff sets up cornhole and seats outside every day so you can work on your tan while sampling their beer. From 3pm-6pm in the summer they host a weekly farmer’s market and as long as the weather is good they have their beer trailer open outside and invite a local musician for some live tunes.

During the off season and when the weather is lousy they open the beer garden inside the brewery. There guests can sit back and relax while watching production brew. They also have a long list of games available inside including foosball, cornhole and a wide selection of board games. Board games are much more fun when you are sampling Their beer or enjoying a pint.

Beer Garden visitors have the following options for food:

Cape Cod Dawgs– our 1979 Grumman Hot Dog Truck – will be here daily after Memorial Day. Learn more here
Local Delivery– we have a notebook of local available delivery options.
Bring Your Own– yes you can bring your own lunch and enjoy it with a Cape Cod Beer!
Guest Mobile Vendors– we’ll announce via Facebook, Twitter and our public Google Calendar some guest food truck throughout the summer months – including FiddleStix, Pizza Barbone and more. If you are a food truck vendor with license in the town of Barnstable please contact us.

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Travel Tip created by Arielle in association with Vacation Soup

Wampanoag Tribe In Mashpee Cape Cod

February 18, 2018February 11, 2018 by arielle3

Indigenous peoples lived on Cape Cod for at least ten thousand years.

The historic Algonquian-speaking Wampanoag were the native people encountered by the English colonists of the Massachusetts Bay Colony in the seventeenth century. The Wampanoag tribe also controlled considerable coastal area. They were one of the several Algonquian-speaking tribes in what are now considered Massachusetts and Rhode Island.

The Wampanoag tribe has its own government, laws, police, and other services, just like a small country. The Wampanoag are also US citizens

In 2014 the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe consists of more than 2600 enrolled members.

The meaning of the name Wampanoag is “Easterners.”

The correct pronunciation of Wampanoag ~ is either wamp-a-NO-ag or WAMP-ah-nog (wamp rhymes with “stomp)l

SAVE THE DATE

97TH ANNUAL MASHPEE WAMPANOAG POWWOW

JULY 6TH, 7TH & 8TH 2018

@ Cape Cod Fairgrounds, East Falmouth

The Powwow is a traditional celebration of Mashpee Wampanoag culture featuring Native American dancing, drumming, games, food, art, jewelry, wampum, gifts, crafts and clothing.

The Mashpee Wampanoag Tribal Museum

The Museum contains displays of ancient artifacts and other Native American heirlooms that form a chronological commentary on life among the Wampanoag tribe for thousands of years. Displays include a variety of tools, baskets, hunting and fishing implements, weapons and domestic utensils. The focal point in the exhibits is a large diorama depicting a typical scene from an early Wampanoag settlement.

414 Main St

Mashpee, MA 02649

(508) 477-9339

Travel Tip created by Arielle in association with Vacation Soup

Cape Cod 2018 Calendar Of Events

February 20, 2018February 6, 2018 by arielle3

Take a look at some of the things that you can do while you are on Cape Cod and the events taking place…

Cape Cod St. Patrick’s Day Parade, Yarmouth – Everyone loves a parade! Get your Irish on at the 13th annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade on March 10 and join thousands of spectators who come from near and far for this special event. The parade theme for 2018 will be “The Movies of Ireland.” For more information, visit capecodstpatricksparade.com.

Father’s Day Car Show, Hyannis – The Greater Hyannis Chamber of Commerce 23rd Annual Father’s Day Car Show is a great opportunity to treat Dad to a day of engines and chrome. It’s the one day a year that Main Street is closed to “regular” car traffic, so you can stroll, eat, socialize and, most importantly, gawk at the incredible pieces of classic machinery. The event will be held on June 18 in 2018. Be there! For more updates and information, visit the Greater Hyannis Chamber Father’s Day Car Show page on Facebook!

Fourth of July (Cape-wide) – Independence Day on Cape Cod is a celebration like none other. Most towns have their own schedules of fireworks and fun, taking place from sandy beaches to main streets. Cape Cod is THE place to be to celebrate the Fourth. Visit capecod.com closer to Independence Day to get updates on each town’s events.

Hookers Ball, Chatham – The Cape Cod Commercial Fishermen’s Alliance throws this incredible fundraising gala each year. The fundraising/auction benefit also happens to be one of the Cape’s best summer parties. You’ll have a blast while supporting our local fishing heritage. Tickets sell out extremely fast for this one, so keep your eye on their website for updates at capecodfishermen.org. If you can’t get tickets, check out their schedule of events for another opportunity to take part in this organization’s benefits!

Big Nick’s Ride for the Fallen, Barnstable – This special motorcycle ride for Cape Cod military who have fallen in Iraq and Afghanistan has become an enormous annual fundraising event. Proceeds benefit the Nicholas G. Xiarhos Memorial Foundation. The July 22 event includes live entertainment, food vendors, raffles and more. For more information, visit ngxride.com.

Barnstable County Fair – Held on the Barnstable County Fairgrounds, this is an annual agricultural fair like no other. Every day at the Barnstable County Fair is filled with something new to do, animals to see, fun foods to eat, rides to experience, and local and world-famous acts to entertain you. The 2018 fair is the perfect summer event and runs from July 23-29. For more information, visit capecodfairgrounds.com/events/barnstable-county-fair.

Provincetown Carnival – Provincetown Carnival is a weeklong celebration of LGBTQ life, including parties, art fairs, a costume ball, and more, and culminates in the Carnival Parade. While the year-round population of Provincetown tops out at 3,000 people, the Carnival Parade attracts nearly 90,000 visitors annually. The 2018 event will run from Aug. 11-17, and the theme will be “Mardi Gras by the Sea!” For more information, visit ptownevents.com/event/ptown-carnival-2018.

Pops by the Sea, Hyannis – This is Cape Cod’s single largest cultural event and the most important fundraising event of the year for the Arts Foundation of Cape Cod. The famous Boston Pops Esplanade Orchestra performs at the Hyannis Village Green on Aug. 13. For tickets and more information, visit artsfoundation.org/events/citizens-bank-pops-by-the-sea. This event is sponsored by Citizen’s Bank.

Cape Cod Scallop Fest, Falmouth – Famous for its fried scallop and chicken dinners, this wildly popular, weekend-long event includes a food court, professional arts and crafts show, fantastic live entertainment, a carnival midway of children’s rides and games, a car show, corn hole tournaments and so much more. It’s normally scheduled for a weekend in September. For more information, keep an eye out for updates at capecodscallopfest.com.

Wellfleet Oyster Fest – This annual celebration of the town’s famous oysters, clams and its deep-rooted shell-fishing traditions is a two-day event, on Oct. 13 and 14, not to be missed! Wellfleet’s town center comes alive for this family festival that brings together locals and visitors for a weekend full of food, art, music, fun and games. For more information, visit wellfleetspat.org/wellfleet-oysterfest-homepage.

Travel Tip created by Arielle in association with Vacation Soup

A Great Fish Restaurant In Hyannis

February 20, 2018February 6, 2018 by arielle3

Recognized as home to one of Cape Cod’s most prolific fishing fleets, Hyannis is well known for its fresh fish and seafood. While many restaurants feature the “catch of the day” and other local favorites, there is no lack of other fare, including Italian, French, Continental, Asian and, of course, good old traditional American.

This weeks spot is the Spanky’s Clam Shack.

Now a six-time winner of the Best Seafood Restaurant award in the Mid-Cape area by the readers of Cape Cod Life magazine, visit Spanky’s and experience a little bit of “Old Cape Cod” the way you remember!

Spanky’s is located directly on the water on Hyannis Harbor adjacent to the Hy-Line Harbor Cruise Ships and close to all the stores, shops and activities on Main Street Hyannis. Visit Spanky’s for lunch or dinner and feast on their “wicked good” fried Clams, scallops and shrimp. Try their award winning clam chowder, deliciously light fish & chips or grab a fresh New England style lobster dinner. Locally caught and harvested seafood features the freshest fish, clams, scallops and steamers by the pound. Also enjoy house-cut New York sirloin steaks, chicken and pasta dinners, an awesome cheeseburger and specialty salads galore.

What People are saying…

“Great food , lots of local seafood dishes both fried and baked. A little pricey. Great atmosphere right on the Hyannis docks. They have inside and outside tables. Wait for outside on a summer night but it can be a long wait ( up to 30-60 minutes for outside) . So put your name in and then take a walk along the docks. A lot of parking right at the docks ( meters) but a small free lot behind the restaurant.”

“We saw this place when we got off the ferry so we figured it would be a great place to eat seafood. We ate outside right on the water, it was chilly but a great way to spend our last night down the cape. We both had scallops which were very good. Everybody was really nice & friendly. We definitely will go again next time we are down the cape.”

“We tried to go to every restaurant once, but we liked this place so much, we went twice. I really liked the fried seafood platter, of course there was enough food for two days, but it was so fresh. My husband on the other hand noticed someone having the lobster the first day, so on the second day he had that and was not disappointed. The restaurant was crowded every day we were there, and it was off season. I would definitely recommend it. I hear they have a gift shop too, and people were ordering things from the restaurant even when it was closed. I guess that says something about the restaurant. Great service also.”

138 Ocean St, Hyannis, MA 02601

(508) 771-2770

Welcome to Spanky’s Clam Shack and Seaside Saloon

Travel Tip created by Arielle in association with Vacation Soup

Black Cat Tavern Seafood Restaurant

February 18, 2018February 2, 2018 by arielle3

BLACK CAT TAVERN

The Black Cat Tavern is a casual waterfront restaurant located right on the docks of Hyannis Harbor. Dine inside, where the look is classic seaside style, or outside on the heated patio while watching the boats sail by. The menu features everything from thick, juicy burgers and garden-fresh salads to fresh native seafood and prime beef. Serving lunch, dinner and Sunday brunch with entertainment four nights a week in the lounge.

Home

What customers have said…

“First visit to the Cape and The Black Cat Tavern was a place recommended by our hotel. Very good food and drink choices. Valet parking (mandated) was convenient in a town not known for parking options. Interior decor spot on. Clean grounds and restaurant. Right near Hyannis Harbor, the boat tours, and island ferries. Casual or dress up. Outside seating, inside dining room, large bar, outside bar. Owner Scott was on site and very welcoming. Went back before our trip ended and will be back again”.

“Great food in a really cool location. The outside seating at The Black Cat Tavern is not that great but inside, since it has been redone, looks amazing and you feel like you’re in a big sailboat. The buffalo chicken wrap is wonderful”.

“Nice atmosphere and family friendly. It’s always busy at The Black Cat Tavern when we come, but we never wait long to be seated and service is always excellent. Love the seafood bisque”!

Check out our Sand Dollar House that sleeps 8 in Hyannis, the largest town on Cape Cod and home to the “other” Kennedy family.

www.thesanddollarhouse.com

Travel Tip created by Arielle in association with Vacation Soup

Welcome

February 2, 2018 by arielle3

Welcome to our new website. Please take some time to look around and bookmark this page, as we will be adding all sorts of information about Vermont in the coming months.

Travel Tip created by Arielle in association with Vacation Soup

Ways To Cape Cod ~ Restaurants ~ Like A Kennedy

February 20, 2018January 27, 2018 by arielle3

While our life took us to live off Cape, we always look forward to visiting as often as we can… No matter how many times you visit the Cape, there are always some new hidden gems that you can be discovered. But there are also some beloved, old restaurants to come back to. Clam shacks and soft serve ice cream are Cape Cod musts; the area also has incredible high-end dining. Your inner gourmand will certainly be satisfied time and time again, but still, nothing ever gets too upscale on the hook-shaped peninsula. Part of Cape Cod’s charm is its many dive bars and casual eateries. Getting dressed up for dinner isn’t really a thing around these parts and sneakers and shorts are almost always acceptable attire. For our foodie family, eating good food is a bonding experience and we wanted to talk about the native yummy Cape Cod joints we have frequented visit over the years… These are just some of our favorites… Chatham Bars Inn, Chatham ~ wonderful for brunch. Fancy, but what a Beautiful location!