Provincetown Carnival is one of the largest outdoor celebrations in Massachusetts. It’s been named Best Festival on Cape Cod and it attracts around 100,000 revelers from all over in a joyful celebration of diversity.
Provincetown’s Carnival began in 1978, as a fundraiser for the brand-new Provincetown Business Guild, which was seeking to make the town more of an LGBTQ vacation destination and cure the end-of-summer blues that usually hit the town. Ptown loves themes and they’ve always centered Carnival around one. The first theme was “A Night in Rio” and this year’s theme is “Welcome to the Enchanted Forest.”
The commemoration of Stonewall 50 and honoring the LGBTQ+ community’s past will continue at Carnival through the annual Carnival flag-raising at the Pilgrim Monument, that includes a 100-foot section of the Gilbert Baker Rainbow Sea to Sea Flag, on loan from Key West. Gilbert Baker designed and sewed the first rainbow flag in 1978.
This year, new cruise line Vacaya, a large-scale full-ship/resort LGBT+ vacation company for adults, will be visiting Carnival on its inaugural cruise.
Here’s the Carnival Schedule:
THURSDAY, AUGUST 15
PRE-CARNIVAL CEREMONY
7pm: Pre-Carnival VIP event for Vacaya passengers – Tito’s Sundowner at Brass Key’s Shipwreck Lounge
9pm to close: Special Kick-off Welcome Party at the Crown & Anchor. The Crown & Anchor & Vacaya present a special kick-off event for the Enchanted Forest Carnival Week with Enchanted Cruising! VJ Tom Yaz in the Wave Bar and DJ Chris Racine in the Paramount will keep the cruising vibe going all night long.
FRIDAY, AUGUST 16
Friday Evening: Carnival Gallery Stroll, a longstanding Provincetown tradition! Most galleries throughout town host receptions on Friday nights.
SATURDAY, AUGUST 17
2pm-4pm: Enchanted “Yappy Hour” with Tito’s at the Crown & Anchor. It’s a Carnival kickoff for both you and your doggy companion. Pup costumes welcome!
SUNDAY, AUGUST 18
10am: Official Carnival flag-raising ceremony with special guests at the Pilgrim Monument and Provincetown Museum
4pm-7:30pm: Enchanted Sunset Cruise with DJ Vicki Powell, co-sponsored by Baystate Cruises, Tito’s Handmade Vodka, Cape Cod 5 and Binx Health. Boarding starts at 4pm and sets sail promptly at 4:30!
8:30pm to close: The Enchanted Forest Costume Ball with hostess extraordinaire and Ptown icon Thirsty Burlington. See and be seen with VJ Tom Yaz in Wave and DJ Phil B in Paramount. $500 First Prize; $200 Second Prize Winners will be featured in Carnival Parade!
MONDAY, AUGUST 19
1pm-5pm: The Enchanted Carnival Pool Party. Come to the Brass Key for fun in the sun, get wet and wild to the beats of DJ Edil Hernandez and party with the enchanted Trenton Ducati. An extra-special performance by AirOtic, is part of the fun.
10:30pm to close: Gesselschaft presents the Magic Garden. Jam at a style, glam and drag dance party. Join Janet Jorgulesco and the House of La Rue at Velvet.
TUESDAY, AUGUST 20
3pm-5pm: Watership Inn’s Annual Carnival Party with Miss Richfield. Come have a cocktail with one of Ptown’s favorite entertainers.
10pm to close: Magical and Mystical Party at A-House. Dance the night away with Resident DJ and Billboard Magazine reporter David Lasalle.
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 21
8pm: Trixie Mattel Live at Provincetown Town Hall. Trixie Mattel is the stage name of Brian Michael Firkus, an American singer, actor, drag queen and recognized “Skinny Legend.” Trixie is the winner of “RuPaul’s Drag Race All-Stars” season 3 and a Billboard Heatseekers #1 charting recording artist.
THURSDAY, AUGUST 22ND: IT’S THE 41st ANNUAL CARNIVAL PARADE!
The Carnival Parade fuses elements of Gay Pride parades, Mardi Gras and the Rose Bowl Parade into one uninhibited chaotic delight of a day. This year, the Carnival Parade has three Grand Marshals – Lea DeLaria (comedian, actor, jazz singer and owner of The Club) and Trixie Mattel (drag queen, singer, actor and winner of Season Three of “RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars”), with Honorary Grand Marshal, David Velasco Bermudez (Stonewall veteran and Cape Cod resident). Come dressed in your most gorgeous Carnival finery, celebrating the 2019 Carnival theme, Enchanted Forest!
Over 80 floats, organizations and acts participate in the parade, which begins at 3pm at the Harbor Hotel in the far East End, proceeding up Commercial Street as far as Franklin Street.
10:30pm to close: Enchanted Underwear Party. Purgatory’s Carnival underwear party is an annual tradition and one you don’t want to miss!
FRIDAY, AUGUST 23
9pm to close: Official Closing Party: Enchanted Creatures Fantasy Ball. The party starts at 9pm at Wave with VJ Tom Yaz, and at 10pm, the party moves into Paramount for dancing with DJ J Warren until closing.
Carnival Headquarters opens at the Firehouse next to Town Hall on Friday August 16 and will be open daily during Carnival Week from 11am-5pm. Posters and t-shirts are on sale, as well as masks, etc.
