Your guide to the best Provincetown gay bars, LGBT venues and events
Massachusetts, United States
Quiet winters and bustling summers characterize Provincetown, a famed LGBTQ+ resort town in the northeastern United States.
Explore the progress of LGBTQ+ rights across the world all in an easy to read charts, graphs, and tables. From public sentiment to protections find it all here so you know when holding hands gets you a look or a sentence.
Visit EqualdexAn erstwhile Portuguese fishing village turned 1960s bohemian artists’ colony (yeah, that happened often!), Provincetown is now most popular as an out and proud summer getaway. Commercial Street is the main thoroughfare, lined with art galleries, head shops, femme-centric erotica retailers, rainbow flags, and folks decked out in drag! It’s easy to get around on foot, so pack your highest heels. Don’t be shy! Public displays of affection, like holding hands while you’re strolling around and stopping to smooch, are cool in P-town. You’ll find lots of places to stop, too. Provincetown gay bars and clubs on Commercial Street often mention their spectacular waterfront views, but the similarities end there: establishments run the gamut from edgy leather bars to chic cocktail spots. Pop into the Atlantic House for proof that aging isn’t all bad—this place might be the oldest LGBTQ+ bar and club in the United States! Provincetown has plenty of accepting beachside resorts and bed & breakfast accommodations, so you won’t worry about finding a place to hang your hat (or glitzy wig!).
Make your bookings well in advance, because Provincetown gets popping from Memorial Day (the last Monday in May) to Labor Day (the first Monday in September)! Pride Weekend in June is a fabulous showcase of the community’s diversity. July is a busy month, kicking off from Independence Week, with Bear Week festivities and the Girl Splash pool party following in fine form. In August, Provincetown’s annual Carnival celebrates a special yearly community theme. Out during the off season? Women’s Week, held in mid-October, draws a lesbian crowd from across the northeast.
Located at the northern end of Cape Cod, Provincetown takes up a pretty portion of the Cape Cod National Seashore. Beachgoers flock to Race Point Beach for its dunes, lighthouses, and wildlife, as well as for its spectacular East Coast sunsets. Rent a bicycle, whether built for one or two, for easy transportation. Back in town, you’ll want to visit the Provincetown Art Association and Museum for a century’s worth of Cape-area visual artwork, or catch one of the town’s contemporary professional theater productions. Many small businesses are open seasonally from May to October, but, thanks to its vibrant artistic community and scenic Cape Cod location, Provincetown is a charming spot year-round. Holly Folly's Santas in skimpy bathing suits, damn good lobster rolls, and legs for days (from all that bicycling!) await in P-Town.
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