The annual lighting of Provincetown’s Lobster Pot Tree was last night (Saturday, November 27th) so that means this Friday, December 3rd through Sunday, December 5th is Provincetown’s Holly Folly weekend. This annual event celebrates the holiday season. It is a fun and festive weekend that is equal parts camp and tradition.
This year celebrations include plenty of shopping (after all what is Christmas without retail therapy)? Support these local businesses; many of which will have great sales. In addition, be sure to check out and partake in the Ugly Sweater & Wig Bar Crawl, Drag shows galore, and Annual Jingle Bell Run. All weekend there will be cabaret shows and parties each night.
For a complete listing of events as well as the timing and precise locations, visit the website, ptown.org/calendar/holly-folly.
It is Thanksgiving holiday in the United States, and because of the COVID-19 outbreak many families and friends were unable to come together to celebrate this American holiday and tradition last year.
If you happen to be celebrating with family or attending a Friendsgiving, I want to wish you a wonderful time, and for those of you who are traveling I hope you have a safe and stress-free trip.
Congratulations to Mayor Michelle Wu who was sworn in today as Boston’s Mayor. Wu is Boston’s first popularly elected female and person of color to be elected mayor. I love that Michelle Wu has consistently chosen to think big and is unapologetically progressive. I wish her much success as Boston’s mayor.
For nearly 30 years, years Community Servings has been working with area chefs to bake and sell scrumptuous pies for people to order for Thanksgiving. Dubbed “the World’s Greatest Bake Sale.”
You can pre-order these delicious pies and bring them to your Thanksgiving / Friendsgiving dinners or you can buy and donate the pies back to Community Servings to ensure a family in need can enjoy one of these delicious desserts.
Did you know that with the click of a button you can have BosGuy.com blog posts sent to you? Consider this my own personal service announcement (PSA) to make it easier for you to get your dose of mancandy, cartoons, vintage photos and of course what’s happening in and around Boston and Provincetown.
On this day in 1867 the British North American Act (a.k.a. Constitution Act) was enacted and is now referred to as “Canada Day”. The holiday is celebrated similar to the July 4th holiday in the United States, with parades, family barbecues and fireworks. In 2018, Sergio and I traveled to Montreal, which also (when there isn’t a pandemic) hosts Jazzfest at the same time. I wrote about the trip, here.
While the impact of the coronavirus can still be felt in Provincetown, it is hard not to feel optimistic with so many Americans getting vaccinated. As a result, Provincetown is cautiously opening back up this summer and bringing back many of their theme weeks and weekends.
If you’re planning a trip to Provincetown this summer, check the calendar of theme weeks, fundraisers and parties that are currently scheduled for the summer of 2021. Tea Dances at The Boatslip begin one week from today on, Thursday, June 3rd.
May & June theme weeks in Provincetown
Memorial Day Weekend – May 28 – 31, 2021 Also known as “Baby Dyke Weekend” for the attracted demographic, there are parties, along with boating, dancing, pool parties, and drinking. Come and celebrate with everyone. Memorial Day Weekend is the official start of the 2021 summer season in Provincetown.
Pride Weekend – June 4 – 6, 2021 This is a relatively new theme weekend for Provincetown which officially celebrated its first Pride Weekend in 2018. This year Provincetown Pride starts on Friday with music, a gay market and parade.
Women of Color Weekend – June 4 – 7, 2021 This is a four-day event that coincides with Pride Weekend and is designed to elevate, strengthen, educate and celebrate LGBTQIA women of color, trans- people of color, non-binary people of color, gender-fluid people of color and their accomplices.
23rd Annual Provincetown International Film Festival – June 16 – 25, 2021 This worldclass film festival showcases new achievements in independent film and honoring the work of emerging as well as acclaimed directors, producers and actors. If you love gay and independent film – this is your week.
Men of Color Weekend – June 17 – 20, 2021 This is a relatively new theme weekend for Provincetown but it is a very welcome addition. The annual summer celebration is presented by the fun and welcoming social group in Boston, Men of Melanin.
Cabaretfest – June 23 – 27, 2021 Do you love cabaret music? You’ll want to come to Provincetown for the four days of parties, workshops, performances and networking and ofcourse, music.
Portuguese Festival & Blessing of the Fleet – June 24 – 27, 2021 Provincetown is a Portugeuse fishing village. This annual celebration recognizes and celebrates its Portugeuse roots and includes live music, dancing, parades, food, games, and the annual parade of boats.
July theme weeks in Provincetown
July 4th and Independence Week – July 1 – 5, 2021 This is party-week central and often referred to as circuit-boy week. The town fills to capacity so if you’re planning to come make sure you secure a reservation and ferry ticket. The town puts on a fun fireworks show (~8:45pm over Provincetown Harbor) and a Parade (~11am) to celebrate the 4th of July.
Bear Week – July 10 – 18, 2021 The largest bear event in the world takes place in Ptown each July. Like Independence week, Provincetown fills to capacity; overrun by hairy, leather, and large men. Personally, I find this to be the friendliest week of the year. Just be sure to make your restaurant reservations in advance – Bears love to go out and eat.
Girl Splash – July 21 – 24, 2021 This weekend is for the ladies. It includes concerts, comediennes, parties, and dancing.
Family Week – July 24 – 31, 2021 This is the largest annual gathering in the world of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer-identified parents and their families. Sponsored by the Family Equality Council, this fun-filled week will include more opportunities than ever to build community. All families are welcome!
Provincetown Jazz Festival – August 1 – 16, 2021 The 17th annual Jazz Festival calendar was still coming together at the time I wrote this post so check back for concert dates and times.
Carnival: Somewhere Over the Rainbow – August 15 – 21, 2021 Provincetown’s Carnival is one of the largest outdoor celebrations in Massachusetts with a week of revelry, costumes, and a parade. This is Sergio and my favorite week all summer and is always a lot of fun. This year’s theme of Over the Rainbow seems quite appropriate considering everything the world has been through.
Labor Day Weekend White Party – September 3 – 6, 2021 The annual Labor Day White Party which started in 1986 when a small group of friends gathered to play croquet, have a few drinks and close the summer season together has grown into one of the largest parties of the summer. The summer season officially closes Labor Day Weekend.
Celebration of Life & Swim for Life – September 10 – 11, 2021 The Celebration of life concert is the prelude to the next morning’s Swim for Life in Provincetown’s harbor.
Cape Cod Classic – September 16 – 19, 2021 The NGPA is the largest organization of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender aviation professionals and enthusiasts from around the world
Annual Harbor to the Bay Bike Ride – September 18, 2021 Launched in 2003, Harbor to the Bay (H2B) has raised over $5 million for four local HIV/AIDS organizations; Fenway Health Center, AIDS Support Group of Cape Cod, Community Research Initiative (CRI), and AIDS Action. The ride from Boston to Provincetown is a wonderful annual event and fundraiser.
Yankee Lambda Car Club Invitational– September 18, 2021 This annual classic car show hosted in Provincetown at the Monument parking lot from 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. concludes with a parade down Commercial Street.
14th Annual Tennessee Williams Theater Festival – September 23 – 26, 2021 The festival honors Tennessee Williams by presenting his classic and undiscovered plays, the work of his peers, and new work inspired by Williams’ creative vision worldwide.
Mates Leather Weekend – September 30, 2021 to October 4, 2021 A kick-back, have a good time, meet some hot new friends weekend for those who want to hang out, socialize, relax or party with other like-minded people in leather, rubber and uniforms.
Earlier today the US Senate voted to confirm Mayor Marty Walsh the next Secretary of Labor which means for the first time since the Boston mayoralty was established in 1822, the city has a mayor who is both a woman and black.
Meet Kim Janey, the two-term city counselor president has stepped in to fill the vacancy and serve out the remainder of Marty Walsh’s mayoral term. It is an exciting time for Boston, and I wish Mayor Janey success. The election for the next mayor will be an interesting one. The field of candidates is more diverse than I can ever recall and it is anyone’s guess who Bostonians will vote for later this fall. WBUR has a great article about who is currently running to be Boston’s next mayor.
Thank you to everyone who responded to my poll from last Saturday in this post. As of this past Monday, approximately 1,700 votes were recorded. Overwhelmingly (88%) indicated that they would like to see regular posts that focus on LGBTQ entertainment. I also received several helpful suggestions in the comments section, which I will do my best to incorporate moving forward.
I wanted to acknowledge the poll results and let everyone know that I’ll be working on how to incorporate everyone’s feedback in the weeks that follow. If you have any further thoughts or suggestions, add them a comment to the original post or today’s and I’ll be sure to take them into consideration.
I need your help. I’m looking for ideas on what to replace my Saturday morning comics post with on BosGuy.com. Is there content you would like to see shared that is not well represented on this blog or online in general? I’m open to ideas and would appreciate it if you’d take a moment to share your thoughts below.
2020 is a year few will forget but many are eager to move beyond. I am re-posting this image from past years and suggest you choose wisely the color of your underwear.
If you’re in a sharing mood, leave the color you plan to wear tonight in the comments section. I’ll be in my blue and white striped boxers, wishing all of you (and me) a year of good health, happiness, peace and joy.
Boston’s first snow came surprisingly early this year. Typically snowfall doesn’t start until December but this year it looks like Mother Nature is feeling lonely and trying to cozy up to Ol’ Man Winter.
I took the photo of Union Park in Boston’s South End to capture how beautiful it looked. I forgot how quiet the city gets during a snowfall.
HBO Max’s new docudrama Equal premieres tonight and sets out to tell the story of LGBTQ+ liberation in America; a rich, volatile, and ongoing struggle full of victories, defeats, and a great many heroes that until recently were intentionally erased from history.
“In 1952, admitting to being gay would get you 15 years in jail“
Perhaps people take for granted their history, associating it with boring classroom lectures (“Bueller… Bueller… Bueller”, but I digress). However, if your history was taken from you or erased as is the case with many LGBTQ+ people then you are a group without an identity.
It is from the past that we learn, so by removing stories like the 1966 uprising at Compton’s Cafeteria in San Francisco or learning about the Mattachine Society and the Daughters of Bilitis and trailblazers like Bayard Rustin and José Sarria we are left with a poorer understanding of the LGBTQ+ community.
Erasing the history of the LGBTQ+ (or any minority) community is quite insidious. It makes it harder for the larger population to accept you because without a history there is no point of reference, no legacy, no lessons learned – in short no progress. So it is important for the LGBTQ+ community to know and share their history. It helps the next generation realize they are not alone, kills the isolation that drives people into the closet and hopefully changes the perception of others who don’t identify or know of people in the LGBTQ+ community.
Check out Equal which is available today, October 22nd, on HBO Max.
This week I thought I’d suggest taking a hike. Boston Magazine has set up a great web page that lists more than 50 hiking paths throughout New England. The page includes an interactive map that lets you sort by difficulty level, driving time from Boston and even which hikes have “Instagram-worthy views”.
If you like to hike or are just looking for a good day trip suggestions this fall, you will want to bookmark Boston Magazine’s Amazing New England Hikes page.
I love podcasts. The format (when done correctly) is similar to story hour and the people over at Serial Productions are better at this than most. I’ve written about Serial in the past so when their latest podcast series, “Nice White Parents” was announced a couple of weeks ago I was interested.
This latest production looks at the 60-year relationship between white parents and the public school down the block — in this case in Brooklyn. The podcast asks why after decades of school reform, do so many inequities still exist? Reporter, Chana Joffe-Walt, looked at inequality in education and deduced that most reforms focused on who schools were failing: Black and brown kids, but rarely addressed who the schools are serving. The five-part series, focuses on what is arguably the most powerful force in our schools, white parents.
BosGuy 