Wednesday, October 29, 2014

Ballet Masquerade, Smashing Pumpkins, Cartoon Festival, Howling Halloween, All Hallows Eve, and more: Top Events for Oct 29-Nov 4, 2014

With Halloween around the corner, there are tons of very fun seasonal and holiday events going on over the next week!

We think you will love New England Fall Events' recommendations for our final week of the weekly blog posts. 

Remember, even if you don’t hear from us every week, there are still dozens of fall festivities scattered throughout November worth checking out so visit the Fall Events and Activities pages listings as we will continue to add new discoveries when they come across our radar.

As our last post of the season, we wish to say Thank You to everyone who checked in, offered feedback, alerted us to worthwhile events, shared photos, entered contests, posted flyers, and shared the New England Fall Events website and Facebook page. 

We were touched by the incredible enthusiasm for this site and it's been a pleasure to share our love of fall, New England, local farms, local food, and making new memories. It has been a joy to connect with you throughout the season and we look forward to next year!    

New England Fall Events' Top Recommendations for this Weekend's Fall Fun
After this week, fall events and activties begin to wind down considerably in preparation for the holidays. Before that happens, you will have a wonderful selection of terrific events lined up for the weekend!
Here are our recommended activities for Oct 29-Nov 4:

Spooky Studio at Providence Children's Museum
Providence, RI   Click for event details.
Wednesday and Thursday, October 29th & 30th, 2014 

Halloween at the Blue Hills Trailside Museum
Milton, MA   Click for event details.
Thursday, October 30th, 2014

Halloween Cocktail Party
Woonsocket, RI   Click for event details.
Thursday and Friday, October 30th & 31st, 2014  

Boston Ballet Swan Lake Masquerade
Friday, October 31st, 2014 

Pumpkins on the Point
Old Saybrook, CT  Click for event details.
Friday through Sunday, October 31st – November 2nd, 2014

Jack-o’-Lantern Spectacular at the Roger Williams Park and Zoo
Providence, RI  Click for event details.
Open nightly through November 2nd, 2014

Smashing Pumpkins Weekend at Fright Fest Six Flags New England
Agawam, MA   Click for event details.
Saturday & Sunday, November 1st & 2nd, 2014

Holidaze: The Real Story of Halloween, Thanksgiving & Christmas Exhibit
Museum Guilford, CT   Click for event details.
Wednesday through Sunday, now through Dec 22nd, 2014
Howling Halloween Party for Pups
Hooksett, NH  Click for event details.
Saturday, November 1st, 2014

Day of the Dead Celebration at Taza Chocolate Factory
Somerville, MA  Click for event details.
Saturday, November 1st, 2014 

All Hallows Eve Celebration 
Newport, VT  Click for event details.
Saturday, November 1st, 2014

Classical Cartoon Festival
Saturday, November 1st, 2014



Need help mapping out where to go? New England Fall Events’ state page maps are handy for scrolling and spotting farms near home or near your road-trip destination.
Orchard and fall attraction maps for:
ConnecticutMaineMassachusettsNew HampshireRhode Island, and Vermont.

Wednesday, October 22, 2014

Halloween Yoga, Trick-or-Treating, Boo Bash, Creepy Crawlies, Storybook Hayrides, and more: Top Events for Oct 22-28, 2014

Rainbow over barn Hopkinton MA - New England Fall Events
Last Thursday's post-storm rainbow in Hopkinton, MA
It's incredible that we're already rounding the corner towards Halloween!

There are still plenty of wonderful activities and events posted at New England Fall Events! However, the seasonal event calendar will start to quiet over the next week or two as people begin to turn their attention towards Thanksgiving so make the most of the outdoor weather, the opportunities, and the foliage while you can.  

Costumes in New England Halloween Store - New England Fall Events
There's still time to buy costumes for you and your pumpkin!

If you haven't picked up your costume yet, don't fret!
We have complete listings of year-round and seasonal costume and Halloween supply stores for your Halloween festivities on our sister website Halloween New England.
Simply hover over your state and click on the Halloween and Costume category and you will find links to stores, maps, features, contact info and much more.


Pumpkin Patch Girl - New England Fall EventsWith apple season starting to wind down, you'll also want to act fast to steal a day of picking in the orchard before the trees go dormant.
Check out New England Fall Events' complete guides, features, maps, and contact info for New England PYO apple orchardsConnecticutMaineMassachusettsNew HampshireVermont, and Rhode Island.

Remember, it's always wise to call ahead before heading to your PYO location as some farms will adjust their hours on a daily basis to account for inclement weather or to allow extra time for fruit to ripen.

New England Fall Events has your guides to Pumpkin Patches and PYO Pumpkins for all six New England states. Here is our Quick and Easy Guide to Pumpkin Patches in New England.


New England Fall Events' Top Recommendations for this Weekend's Fall Fun
As Pumpkins and October go together like peanut butter and jelly, you'll see that many activities this week have a pumpkin or Halloween theme and you won't catch us complaining about that!
Without further ado, let's dive right into our top picks. 
Here are our recommended activities for Oct 22-28:


Leaf Jumping Foliage - New England Fall Events
Hocus Pocus Afternoon Tea
Pomfret Center, CT   Click for event details.
Thursday October 23rd and Saturday, October 25th, 2014

Halloween Yoga for Toddlers and Tykes and Parents
Westborough, MA  Click for details.
Saturday, October 25th, 2014

Trick or Treat FROZEN Corn Maze at Smolak Farms
North Andover, MA  Click for event details.
Saturday & Sunday, October 25th & 26th, 2014

Harvest on the Harbor
Portland, ME   Click for event details.
Wednesday through Saturday, October 22nd – 25th, 2014

Wee Faerie Village in a Steampunk'd Wonderland
Pumpkin Patch Boy - New England Fall EventsOld Lyme, CT   Click for event details.
Tuesday through Sunday, through November 2nd, 2014

Slithery, Slimy, Creepy, Crawly Outdoor Adventure
Stamford, CT   Click for event details.
Friday, October 24th, 2014

Howl-o-Ween at the Beardsley Zoo
Bridgeport, CT  Click for event details.
Saturday & Sunday, October 25th & 26th, 2014

Storybook Hayrides at Applecrest Farm Orchards  
Hampton Falls, NH   Click for event details.
Saturday & Sunday, October 25th & 26th, 2014

Haunted History Lantern Tour at Cedar Hill Cemetery
Hartford, CT   Click for event details.
Friday, October 24th, 2014

Ghosts on the Banke
Portsmourth, NH  Click for event details.
Saturday, October 25th, 2014

Halloween Hysterics at the Henry Whitfield Museum
Guilford, CT   Click for event details.
Saturday, October 25th, 2014

Shelburne Museum Trick-or-Treating
Haunted Happenings
Shelburne, VT   Click for event details.
Sunday, October 26th, 2014

Pumpkins on a Stone Wall in New England - New England Fall Events
Halloween Prowl at the Moose Hill
Wildlife Sanctuary
Sharon, MA  Click for event details.
Friday through Sunday, October 24th  - 26th, 2014

Corn Maze Trick-or-Treating at Emery Farm
Durham, NH  Click for event details.
Saturday, October 26th, 2014

Jeannie Mack's Halloween Party
Southborough, MA   Click for event details.
Saturday, October 25th, 2014

Boo Bash at Providence Children's Museum
Providence, RI   Click for event details.
Sunday, October 26th, 2014

A Family Halloween at Billings Farm & Museum
Woodstock, VT  Click for event details.
Sunday, October 26th, 2014 

Lanterns in New England - New England Fall Events
If you love Halloween and night activities, remember to visit our sister website Halloween New England for guides to local haunted houses and trailsghost tourshaunted and flashlight corn mazesnight hayridescostume guide, a Salem guide and more.


Need help mapping out where to go? New England Fall Events’ state page maps are handy for scrolling and spotting farms near home or near your road-trip destination.
Orchard and fall attraction maps for:
ConnecticutMaineMassachusettsNew HampshireRhode Island, and Vermont.

Wednesday, October 15, 2014

Frozen's Anna and Elsa, Faerie Village, Scarecrows, Ghostport, a Wicked Evening, and More: Top Events for Oct 15-21, 2014

New England Fall Events - Old Sturbridge VillageWe’re going to be straight with you—this is a BIG weekend for events this fall. 

If you were thinking of going to the movies this weekend or sleeping in, we suggest you rethink your plan. With a Thursday night game this week even the Patriots are cooperating to free up your weekend to take full advantage of the bounty of fall fun coming up.

We just posted dozens of new late fall events to the Fall Activities and Food Festivals Guides on New England Fall Events –more will continue to be added every day so check back often for even more terrific ideas lined up for every New England state. 

New England Fall Events - Scarecrow Festival Wallingford CT
We’re excited that this Saturday, October 18th is the Wallingford Scarecrow Festival-- one of our favorites of the year! Even if you have never made a scarecrow before, you will have your chance to create one from scratch and they’ll have all the goodies you could need to bring home a harvest friend to plant in your lawn. You can vote on scarecrow contest entries, and if you love crafts—making them or buying them—this festival has you covered. This year they’ll be featuring performances from FROZEN’s Anna and Elsa so your little Frozen fanatics will be delighted as can be.
If you missed it, you can read about our wonderful time last year at this festival and we’ve included useful family and festival tips for making the most of your visit.

New England Fall Events - Wicked Event Hartford, CT
We also want to highlight a special event featuring author Gregory Maguire and the composer/lyricist Stephen Schwartz of the smash musical WICKED. This is a Tuesday night event so you may want plan ahead to take a trip to this special event in Hartford.

You’ll notice from this week’s selection of Top Picks that the Halloween season is in full swing and many of the events have a Halloween theme or costume aspect to them. This is really just a drop in the bucket so be sure to visit New England Fall Events for a complete list of Food, Fall, and Harvest events for each New England state.

New England Fall Events - Smolak Farm Pumpkin Kids North Andover MAIf you are looking for more Halloween and night activities, remember to visit our sister website Halloween New England for guides to local haunted houses and trailsghost tourshaunted and flashlight corn mazesnight hayridescostume guide, a Salem guide and more.

Pumpkins Abound!  New England Fall Events has compiled guides to Pumpkin Patches and PYO Pumpkins for every New England state. Remember to support your local farms by purchasing your pumpkins from your local farm’s harvest—everybody wins when you do! Quick and Easy Guide to Pumpkin Patches in New England.

Where is New England Fall Events Headed this Weekend?
We, like you, will have a hard time narrowing down where we end up—there is SO much to fit in! We’re eyeing the Goffstown Weigh-off & Pumpkin Regatta and the Newburyport Great Pumpkin & Lighting Stroll, We’ll be spending our evenings on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday covering night attractions for our companion website Halloween New England .

Jeff Foliage Jenne Farm VT
VT's most photographed farm - Jenne Farm in 2014 foliage
New England Foliage Report from Jeff-Foliage:
This week Jeff Foliage gives us a report from Jenne Farm, which has the distinction of being Vermont’s most photographed farm.
"5:00AM came way too early on Friday and Lisa and I (she’s a great trooper, BTW) made our way to join the throng of photographers at the Jenne farm. Maybe I should call it a murder of photographers? Why? read on…"
Click here to read Jeff's full report.


New England Fall Events' Top Recommendations for this Weekend's Fall Fun
Here's a sample of some wonderful events to keep on your radar heading into the weekend! Find even more terrific events listed on every New England state’s Fall & Activities guide and Food & Harvest Festival Guide.

Here are our recommended activities for Oct 15-21:

Wallingford Scarecrow Festival -appearances by FROZEN’s Anna and Elsa – FREE
Wallingford, CT  Click for details.

Trick or Treat FROZEN Corn Maze at Smolak Farms
North Andover, MA  Click for event details.
Saturday & Sunday, October 18th & 19th, 2014

Hallowlantern Hayride at C.N. Smith Farm
East Bridgewater, MA   Click for event details.
Friday through Sunday, Oct 17th – 19th, 2014

Ghostport – FREE
Bucksport, ME   Click for event details.
Saturday, October 18th, 2014

New England Fall Events - Faerie Village
Wee Faerie Village in a Steampunk'd Wonderland
Old Lyme, CT   Click for event details.
Tuesday through Sunday, now through November 2nd, 2014

Food Truck and Beer Festival
at Six Flags New England
Agawam, MA   Click for event details.
Saturday, October 18th, 2014

Masquerade Tween Night
New Milford, CT  Click for event details.
Friday, October 17th, 2014

Howl-o-ween at the Beardsley Zoo
Bridgeport, CT   Click for event details.
Saturday & Sunday, October 18th & 19th, 2014

Ballet Spooktacular
Old Saybrook, CT  Click for event details.
Saturday, October 18th, 2014
New England Fall Events - Apple Picking Holliston MA 
Bike Boulevard Scavenger Hunt – FREE
Glastonbury, CT   Click for event details.
Sunday, October 19th, 2014  

Goffstown Pumpkin Weigh-off and Regatta
Goffstown, NH  Click for event details.
Saturday & Sunday, October 18th & 19th, 2014

Pumpkin Festival at Lanni Orchards  – FREE 
Lunenburg, MA  Click for event details.
Saturday & Sunday, October 18th & 19th, 2014

Bowen’s Wharf Seafood Festival – FREE
Newport, RI  Click for event details.
Saturday & Sunday, October 18th & 19th, 2014

Adult CosPlay and Costume Contest
at King Richards Faire 

Carver, MA   Click for event details.
Saturday, October 18th, 2014 (rain date: Oct 19th)

New England Fall Events - Cheese Board Berkshire Blue
Glastonbury Apple Harvest Festival– FREE
Glastonbury, CT   Click for event details.
Friday through Sunday, October 17th – 19th, 2014

Cabot Apple Pie Festival
Cabot, VT   Click for event details.
Saturday, October 18th, 2014

CT Cheese and Wine Festival
Milford, NH   Click for event details.
Saturday, October 18th, 2014

A WICKED Cool Evening! with Gregory Maguire and Stephen Schwartz
Hartford, CT  Click for event details.
Tuesday, October 21st, 2014


New England Fall Events - Big Apple Bite
Heading out apple picking this weekend? New England Fall Events has complete guides, features, maps, and contact info for New England PYO apple orchards. Here are your quick links to the apple picking guides:

Need help mapping out where to go? New England Fall Events’ state page maps are handy for scrolling and spotting farms near home or near your road-trip destination.
Orchard and fall attraction maps for:
ConnecticutMaineMassachusettsNew HampshireRhode Island, and Vermont.

Remember, it's always smart to call ahead before heading to your PYO location as some farms will adjust their hours to accomodate weather or to give extra time for fruit to ripen.



Thursday, October 9, 2014

The Provincetown Tennessee Williams' Theater Festival is Cultural Gem in New England

During the last week in September I took a solo adventure to visit the Provincetown Tennessee Williams Theater Festival in Provincetown, MA. Although this was the ninth year for this treasured four-day festival dedicated to the august and beloved American playwright, it was my first chance to attend since it came across my radar.

The Provincetown Tennessee Williams Theater Festival is taking place September 22nd - 25th, 2016. Click for full details

Seaside cottage in Provincetown, MA
I’m tempted to start at the end—to share my great regret that I was only able to carve out 48 hours of the weekend to attend the festival and the heartbreak I felt leaving town only half-way through. Knowing the performances I wouldn’t have a chance to witness and the speakers I wouldn’t have the privilege to listen to, gnawed at me. Has the exuberance of certain Williams’ characters rubbed off of me after the weekend?  Perhaps, but the festival is that worthy of praise.

A visit to captivatingly lovely Provincetown is a gift unto itself, particularly in the mellower spring or fall where it works its magic as a place both restorative in pace yet cosmopolitan in spirit. The narrow main drag—Commercial Street—is cottage after cottage of art galleries, sweet inns, patio dining, ice cream shops, boutiques, and alley shacks featuring the quintessential lobster roll—hot or cold. 

Tennessee Williams himself is simply one of many literary giants and artists who found creative voice and personal refuge in this tiny resort town so it is a natural connection to host a festival there celebrating his work and life. Not only is Provincetown the setting for some of his plays (Something Cloudy, Something Clear) but during his four summers there he also worked on several of his most well-known plays, including The Glass Menagerie, and Summer and Smoke, and it is where he is said to have written the final pages of A Streetcar Named Desire

The 2014 Provincetown Tennessee
Williams Theater Festival poster
The Provincetown Tennessee Williams Theater Festival has deservedly earned great acclaim during its nine short years. While I was there every single person I met was from outside New England-- from Minnesota, San Francisco, Virginia, and a sizable contingent from Mississippi (Williams’ birthplace and childhood home, also host to a week-long Williams’ Tribute held annually in early September). A pattern emerged to me that folks from out of state understood the value of this festival and I wondered whether New Englanders realized the treasure that is being mounted in our own backyard.

The festival is impeccably organized from the website to the online material to the program booklet. And it’s a blessed thing too because with so much to see and do—nearly every show is performed multiple times across the four days—it’s challenging to plot out how to craft your time even with the wealth of informational support.

Being here for two days and nights, I simply read up on the performances and chose the ones that interested me—themes I was drawn to or ones that would be staged and performed in unconventional settings. My goal was to pack in as much as I could and my arrival and departure somewhat dictated the order of things. When I return for the full festival—oh yes, I wouldn’t dream of cutting myself short again—I would opt for one of the three festival “tracks”: the Picnic (easy pace, 3 planned events per day), Block Party (medium pace, averaging 4 events per day) and the Jamboree (fast pace, 4-5 events per day). Keep in mind that some of these events will include non-performance gatherings such as a guest speaker, a wine tasting, a cocktail party, or a themed “mixer”. 

PTown has no shortage of quaint restaurants
Each PTWT Festival has a theme and this year’s was “Circle of Friends”.  You may be surprised to know that not all of the performances at this festival are the works of Tennessee Williams.  Williams’ circle of friends included his literary peers Carson McCullers (Member of the Wedding), William Inge (Splendor in the Grass, Picnic), Yukio Mishima (novelist and playwright)—each of these playwrights had a play being shown this year at the festival.

Williams’ scholar and festival curator David Kaplan wrote an engaging and eloquent essay revealing the devotion, complexities, professional admiration (and jealousies) between Williams and these three friends. Kaplan’s intelligent piece delivered context for the festival selections and fortunately for us, more of his insightful writing can be found through his book Tennessee Williams in Provincetown and Tenn at One Hundred: The Reputation of Tennessee Williams. 

The Crown and Anchor Box Office
Upon arrival, my first stop was the box office at the Crown and Anchor—a restaurant, social, and performance complex centrally located on Commercial Street where the large majority of festival venues were situated. The Crown and Anchor is a home base for the festival—this is where several events are hosted including the opening night party, the opening night dinner “Dinner with Friends”, the performances of I’d Wish You’d Keep Still, and the pass-holders lounge which doubles as a small gift shop for purchasing plays, books about Williams, t-shirts, art prints, and other items. 

Provincetown at Dusk - View from the patio of Local 186
My first event was the “Williams 101” presentation at the Sage House and Inn. Scholar Augustin Correro culled a remarkable amount of Williams’ history and framework into a 60-minute event. As entertaining as it was rife with information, this event functioned as a primer for understanding Williams as a man, his personal and professional successes and struggles, and the people and the history that informed the man and his work.  By laying out three dominant themes in Williams’ plays—Family, Desire, Connection—we could understand the experiences and relationships in Williams’ life that compelled him to explore these themes in writing. 

No matter what you think you already know (or don’t) about Tennessee Williams, Williams 101 is a must-attend event during your visit. It is a valuable way to get grounded in the festival and to grease the proverbial wheels turning in your head for the plays that await you. While watching the performances, I returned time and again to the things I learned at this presentation and I was very glad I was able to start off the festival having seen it. In fact, I bought a ticket to see the Williams 101 presentation a second time the following day and although the presentation was the same, the guest speaker after the event was different and it was still a wonderful way to revisit the information.

Photo courtesy of the TW Tribute
That evening, I attended the “Dinner with Friends” event kicking off the opening night of the festival. Hosted at the Crown and Anchor, this was an absolutely delightful way to connect with other festival-goers and to hear about others’ history and appreciation of the PTWT Festival.
Although the festival is well-attended by theater scholars and theater lovers, it is also attended by many people who simply found themselves here through a roundabout connection. One couple learned of the festival through an online forum wholly unrelated to theater (dogs, actually) and through their budding friendship with this festival staff member they first attended the fest for the five years ago and returned every year since.

Another woman was a high school teacher who knew the festival founder and comes out annually. The “Dinner with Friends” was attended by a number of people visiting from Mississippi including Brenda Caradine who produces the Tennessee Williams Tribute in Columbus, MS. It was a genuine pleasure to chat with Ms. Caradine and to learn more about the wonderful work she’s done to strengthen the connection between Tennessee Williams’ history and his birthplace while preserving his artistic legacy. 

The Town Hall hosted Vieux Carre
The dinner had a Mississippi-inspired menu of braised beef, chicken paillard, roast pork tenderloin, tomato and watermelon salad, broccoli rabe, roasted potatoes, cheddar and herb biscuits all served family style. The dessert was, naturally, peach cobbler. The food was absolutely delectable and there was more food than a person could possibly eat by a factor of ten.  With many of the festival coordinators and supporters attending the dinner it was a fantastic way to meet other people with a deep connection to the festival. It was a memorable dinner—two hours flying by—and something I wouldn’t hesitate to sign up for again when I return.

The centerpieces of the festival are, of course, the plays. On my first evening I attended Vieux Carre staged in the round at the lovingly restored Provincetown Town Hall.  Williams began writing this play in 1938 while living in New Orleans (before he’d gained any professional recognition) yet he did not complete it until nearly 40 years later. Produced in 1977 on Broadway, just years before his death, this semi-autobiographical play shows us a retrospective glimpse of the younger Williams in the character of the Writer.   

One of several Boatslip settings for "In the Summer House" 
On Friday, I returned for an encore of the Williams 101 presentation as I had found it such a wealth of information and, as I suspected, it was incredibly useful to hear everything again—reinforcing certain themes, understanding additional details.

From the 101, I rushed to The Boatslip Resort to see the play In the Summer House. Written by Williams’ friend Jane Bowles and produced in 1953, In the Summer House was widely known to be one of Williams’ favorite plays which made it intriguing to see it and to ponder the themes and aspects he admired so.

Another setting from" In the Summer House" with a view
The PTWT Festival produced In the Summer House last year but they performed only the second act; this year they delivered the show in its entirety. The audience began this show in a windowed tent—a view of the water on our right, the resort’s bar/dance lounge on our left, the large pool and deck behind us. At the end of one scene the action of the show transferred to the lounge area and the audience stood and moved to the new locale to continue the show. Other action took place around—and yes, in—the pool whereby the actors would perform short scenes in the water or on rafts. The unique setting (and the adaptive property at the resort) provided a truly unusual, yet suitably contextual environment for the staging of the show. 

Creve Coeur was cleverly staged in a Bradford St. residence 
The final show on my docket was the Williams’ 1976 play A Lovely Sunday for Creve Couer which was presented inside a Provincetown home on Bradford Street.
The open layout of the home, with its central living room, small kitchenette, side rooms, and staircase all served the play’s needs and the audience’s immersion into the story.  The audience was arranged on two sides of the action so although there were moments with limited sightlines it was never distracting or prolonged. The staging of the play took full advantage of the flexibility of being in a home including frying chicken during the first act. 

The Creve Coeur venue enabled actors to cook during the show
It was really satisfying to see how grounded the show’s unfolding action could feel being presented in this authentic setting—nothing felt forced or “gimmicky” about the choice to stage it in a home versus a conventional theater space (such as at the Town Hall). It was a memorable show and one of the dozens reasons that the Provincetown Tennessee Williams Theater Festival delivers a singular theater-going experience. 

My festival wrapped up sitting in at the Beatnik Jam held at the Gifford House parlor and lounge. The casual setting—the audience perched on sofa arms, seated on stairs, standing around the perimeter—was a nice way to close my time. Various people, including actors I’d seen in shows earlier that day, read snippets of wisdom or observation from the likes of Capote, Vidal, and Purdy.


Provincetown is captivating at night
This is a festival of true distinction—appealing to adults of all ages. It’s important to know it is a worthwhile experience even if you aren’t very familiar with Tennessee Williams or don’t consider yourself a theater buff. You may be rubbing shoulders with dramaturgs, locals, and science teachers; and if you don’t know what a dramaturg is, you will still not feel out of place. Every person I met was welcoming, friendly, and eager to share their love of the festival and to hear my impressions from my inaugural visit.

This festival is an educational and enriching experience even if you are simply looking to have a unique and memorable visit to Provincetown and have an open mind to try something new. Certainly you could attend for just a day or two but, like me, you may leave feeling you’ve cheated yourself out of so much more. Circle your calendar for the end of September next year and prepare yourself for an outstanding few days.

Tips for Getting the Most from the Tennessee Williams Theater Festival:

  • Book your tickets or passes early as some venues have limited capacity and sell out sooner.
  • Tickets are required for nearly every event on the calendar so I found myself returning to the Crown and Anchor box office on several occasions. They have a large schedule posted out front to help you see every activity available to you and they are there to answer any questions you have. Although it can’t be emphasized enough that tickets should be bought in advance for the festival through their website (several shows were sold out), the inevitable spontaneous add-ons do present themselves and the box office is the best (fee-free) place to buy anything extra or to make changes to your tickets/itinerary.
  • The website is incredibly helpful for advance planning—from travel links to hotel/inn suggestions. There is plenty of information to demystify things, especially if you are coming in from out of town.
  • PTWT Festival produces a beautiful program which is an essential tool for navigating the festival. Not only does it offer venue maps, performance schedules, thoughtful essays, and features about each production in the festival, but it even goes so far as to offer a handful of restaurants that are convenient to each festival venue—critical if you’ve left yourself limited time between shows. The program is the bible to guide you in how to plan and map your time.
  • Folks who are planning a trip should consider purchasing a Festival Pass. The Flex Pass ($175) allows you to create your own experience with six tickets at your disposal along with entry to the opening and closing night parties.  The Study Pass ($125) is ideal for full-time students and includes up to 10 tickets (!). The all-access pass is called, naturally, the Carte Blanche ($600-$800) which includes a dozen tickets (may use up to 2 tickets per show), VIP seating reserved at every performance, invitations to the cocktail party, gallery wine tasting, an invite to the private donor brunch, a $300 tax deductible donation and other goodies.
  • The Williams 101 absolutely must make it on your list. Ideally, try to attend one before you kick off your lineup of performances. It will really provide wonderful context for the whole festival.
  • The Dinner with Friends event at the Crown and Anchor on opening night (Thursday) is also a real treat. Come hungry and be prepared to meet friendly, interesting people. Tickets must be bought in advance for this, with extra savings if you have a festival pass.
  • If you love to socialize, there were free “mixers” every afternoon where people could gather for apps, a drink, meet other festival goers. These are wonderfully fun, energetic gatherings.
  • Consider building in a little time for reflection. I found myself seeking quiet time to digest the performance I’d just seen and consider the work. Williams’ plays are filled with fascinating, complicated characters and the material can be heart-wrenching and certainly thought-provoking.
  • On one occasion I booked two shows back to back and had a limited amount of time to get from one venue to another. Easily walkable if I had 15 minutes, with such a narrow window, I pre-arranged a cab (Pride Taxi) to pick me up when the first show ended. This was immensely helpful and I do not recommend counting on taxis to always be hanging around. Pre-arranging was easy and Pride was very friendly, prompt, and reliable when I needed them. 
  • Don’t be intimidated. If you’ve never imagined going to a theater festival, I insist that you consider this new experience and jump in. You’ll be amazed what you come away with. 
  • Seek out the unconventional spaces and new interpretations (dances inspired by one-act plays, for example). This festival will expand your understanding of Williams and how theater can be presented.
  • Provincetown is a very charming place. If you can, leave yourself a little time for boutique shopping, gallery visits, a memorable meal, and a lazy coffee on a porch.
  • A car is not necessary at all if you are staying in Provincetown. If you are flying into Logan, it’s a snap to shuttle to the ferry which takes you right to where you need to be.
  • There are no shortages of traditional Inns and lovely Bed & Breakfasts in Provincetown. I can recommend the Carpe Diem Guesthouse highly. I knew I would be packing in so much on my short stay I knew I wouldn’t have the pleasure of enjoying the wonderful amenities that Carpe Diem offers but it’s worth a strong consideration.
  • I stayed very affordably through AirBnB.com in a walkable 10 minutes away from Commercial Street. Even late at night, Provincetown was very safe for walking back to my apartment solo. 
  • You could stay more affordably a few towns away but the convenience of staying right in Provincetown and opting to walk everywhere is really worth the few extra dollars.