With the arrival of autumn’s crisp air but still plenty of sunshine, a calendar full of special Provincetown events, and a relaxing ambiance with fewer crowds, November is one of the best times of year to visit our Provincetown bed and breakfast.
A Fest Celebrating All Things Food and Wine
Commemorating its 4th year in 2024, the Provincetown Food & Wine Festival began after the pandemic shutdown to bring the community back together over delicious cuisine and top-notch wine, taking place in November and marking the last big festival weekend of the calendar year on the outer Cape.
The four-day event (Nov 7-10, 2024) kicks off with a Thursday evening wine dinner at legendary Ciro & Sal’s, whose kitchen has specialized in northern Italian pasta and seafood dishes for several decades, perfectly complementing the vast selection of bottles from their brick-lined wine cellar. Join the Sip and Stroll art gallery walk from 1-4 pm on Friday, when dozens of galleries in Provincetown along Commercial St will open their doors and offer special exhibits alongside local artists in attendance. That evening, enjoy a dinner from the locally sourced menu at Crown & Anchor while listening to the live tunes in their piano bar and sipping world-class pinot noirs from Burgundy. True wine lovers won’t want to miss the “Grand Tasting” on Saturday afternoon when countless notable wineries will pour 300 different wines, a rare chance to sample flavors from across the world, a globe-trotting delight for your palate. It also takes place directly across the street from our location, making it a convenient stroll back to your Provincetown lodging with a pleasant buzz afterward.
On Sunday, wrap up the weekend with a delectable price fixe brunch and views overlooking the harbor at Ocean 193, followed by a late afternoon of dancing at the legendary Boatslip Tea Dance from 4-7 pm. The tea dance has been a fixture of the Provincetown social milieu for over 25 years, with a packed dance floor, drinks flowing, and local DJs providing the soundtrack. It’s also the last tea dance of the year, on hiatus until things pick back up again in May, so it’s sure to be livelier than ever.
November Happenings – Art, Live Music, and Exploring Nature
Although the cultural events calendar slows a bit after summer winds down, there are still plenty of opportunities to engage in our arts and music scene. Art enthusiasts will love the inaugural Land, Place, and Identity Symposium at the Provincetown Art Association and Museum on Nov 9th and 10th, 2024. During three-hour sessions on both days, art scholars and historians will discuss underrepresented artists who have connections to Cape Cod, with a particular focus on Native American works, Provincetown landscapes painted by African-American artists, and a presentation about Seong Moy, a Chinese abstract painter and master wood-cutter who led summer art retreats in Provincetown before gaining international acclaim (his work is now in the Smithsonian and MoMa).
During your visit, see some live music just 15 miles south of Provincetown at the Wellfleet Preservation Hall. The converted church’s aged wooden floors and century-old stained glass windows set a lovely scene for the hundreds of shows it hosts annually in the hallowed space. Shows lessen after the holidays, but several performances are on the calendar for November of 2024, including Massachusetts female songwriters in the round on 11/8 and classic/indie rock from local trio Oxford Drive Band on 11/23.
Combine your day trip to Wellfleet with a unique nature outing at the Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary, where you can enjoy a leisurely hike through protected salt marshes and stands of pine trees, all with gorgeous views of the bay. If you’re a bird-watcher, plan to attend their Bird Research in Action sessions from 9-10 am on Friday mornings into mid-November. It’s an exceptional opportunity to meet their expert avian team, who use non-invasive bird banding techniques to study songbirds who pass through Cape Cod during spring and fall migrations.
For days in nature closer to Provincetown, take advantage of no-cost entry (fees stop after mid-September) to the Cape Cod National Seashore for some scenic pedaling on Head of the Meadow Trail, beach days free of summer crowds at Race Point, a 1-mile hike along the pristine ponds in Beech Forest, and awe-inspiring sunsets at Herring Cove.
Thanksgiving Week – Provincetown Events and Festivities
With a history stretching over four centuries, Thanksgiving in Provincetown is a cherished time of year on the outer Cape. The annual Lighting of the Pilgrim Monument, held every November, will happen on Thanksgiving Eve (11/27) in 2024. Join the outdoor celebration from 3-5:30 pm, featuring a DJ, a cash bar, and food from local vendors. The gathering culminates with hundreds of lights streaming down the sides of the 252-foot-tall tower being switched on after dark, illuminating the iconic Provincetown landmark through the holidays. On a different day, plan to visit the museum underneath the monument, where the “Our Story” exhibit gives an in-depth perspective of the first Thanksgiving and the sometimes troubled, complex relationship between the Pilgrims and the Wampanoag people.
Another beloved holiday tradition occurs a few days later, on the Saturday of Thanksgiving weekend (11/30 in 2024), when the Lobster Pot Tree lights up for the holiday season. Constructed from real lobster traps covered with twinkling lights, red Christmas bows, playful ornaments like plastic lobsters, and topped by buoys in place of a star, it’s a charming ode to the lobster and fishing families woven into the fabric of Provincetown culture. Join the fun in Lopes Square at 5:30 pm for caroling, hot cocoa, and the lighting of the lobster tree, which celebrates its 20th anniversary in 2024.
Several Provincetown restaurants offer “farm-to-fork and pier-to-plate” Thanksgiving dinners, including Crowne Pointe. Its four-course menu includes classic dishes like roasted butternut squash bisque, a choice of roasted turkey, culotte steak, cauliflower steak, or pan-seared salmon, with wine pairings and desserts like pumpkin pie and cheesecake.
Stay with us this November – you’ll discover plenty of Provincetown events to fill your days and make your evenings memorable!