Provincetown’s 41st Annual Carnival returns August with Enchanted Forest theme

June 25, 2019 Queer Forty Staff 5 min read

Provincetown’s 41st Annual Carnival returns from August 17th-25th with an Enchanted Forest theme.

Provincetown Carnival is a weeklong celebration of LGBTQ life with parties, art fairs, a costume ball, and more. The week culminates in the Carnival Parade over 80 entries. While the year-round population of Provincetown tops out at 3,000 people, the Carnival Parade attracts nearly 90,000 visitors annually.

Thursday, August 15th
Pre-Carnival Ceremony

Welcome Vacaya and Gilbert Baker Flag Reunification Ceremony
8:30 am on beach behind the Crown & Anchor
Join us on the beach behind the Crown & Anchor as we welcome Vacaya’s passengers to Provincetown off the Celebrity Summit. The Town Crier will welcome passengers to town, who will be carrying sections of the original Gilbert Baker Rainbow25 Sea to Sea Flag for a reunification and welcoming ceremony to kick off Carnival.

7:00 pm Pre-Carnival VIP event for Vacaya passengers -Tito’s Sundowner at Brass Key’s Shipwreck Lounge
Brass Key Shipwreck Lounge, 10 Carver

9pm to close: Welcome Party at the Crown & Anchor Wave and Paramount Clubs $10 cover
Special welcome party for Vacaya at the Crown & Anchor. Join us in the Wave and Paramount with VJ Tom Yaz and DJ Chris Racine.
Crown & Anchor, 247 Commercial

Friday, August 16th

Friday Evening: Please partake in the traditional Carnival Gallery Stroll, a longstanding Provincetown tradition. Provincetown is America’s oldest continuous art colony and many of our galleries throughout town host receptions on Friday nights.

Galleries located throughout town. Opening and closing times vary. Locations are on our website https://www.ptown.org/shop/galleries/

Saturday, August 17th

2:00-4:00 Enchanted Yappy Hour Welcome to Town with Tito’s at Crown & Anchor
Join us and Tito’s Handmade Vodka for a kickoff for you and your pup! Pup costumes welcome!
Tickets: Free
Crown & Anchor, 247 Commercial

Sunday, August 18th

10:00 am Official Carnival Flag Raising Ceremony
Official flag raising with special guests.
Pilgrim Monument and Provincetown Museum, 1 High Pole Road

4:00 to 7:30 Opening Party: Enchanted Sunset Cruise
Kick off Carnival in style by cruising our fabulous harbor with other enchanted creatures while the sun sets over Provincetown. DJ and cocktails, sponsored by Tito’s, Baystate Cruises and Cape Cod 5 Always an enchanting experience.
Boarding starts at 4:00 and sets sail promptly at 4:30, so arrive early!
Tickets $25 to benefit Provincetown Business Guild https://www.eventbrite.com/e/2019-carnival-enchanted-forest-tickets-62168003171
Baystate Cruises, at end of Macmillan Pier

8:30 to close Opening Night Costume Party
Enchanted Forest Costume Ball
Join our hostess extraordinaire in kicking off Carnival Festivities at the Annual Costume Ball. You won’t want to miss this year’s extraordinary costume contest with hostess extraordinaire and Provincetown icon Thirsty Burlington. Come and 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!
$10 cover benefits Provincetown Business Guild https://www.eventbrite.com/e/2019-carnival-enchanted-forest-tickets-62168003171
Crown & Anchor Paramount/Wave, 247 Commercial

Monday, August 19th

1:00 to 5:00 The Enchanted Official Carnival Pool Party
This Event Sells Out Every Year—Buy your tickets NOW!
The Carnival experience would not be complete without a dip in the pool at the Brass Key’s Annual Pool Party. Come for fun in the sun, and get wet and wild to the beats of DJ Edil Hernandez. Party with the enchanted Trenton Ducati! You never know what kind of prizes are in store.
Space is limited- buy tickets in advance!
Advance tickets $35; same day tickets $40 (benefits Provincetown Business Guild) https://www.eventbrite.com/e/enchanted-forest-carnival-pool-party-tickets-55276023073
Brass Key Guesthouse, 67 Bradford

10:30 pm to close Enchantment at GESSELLSCHAFT
Come jam at a style, glam, and drag dance party. Join Janet Jorgulesco and the House of La Rue at GESSELLSCHAFT.
$10 cover benefits Provincetown Business Guild https://www.eventbrite.com/e/2019-carnival-enchanted-forest-tickets-62168003171
Velvet, 258 Commercial

Tuesday, August 20th

3 pm to 5:00 Watership Inn’s Annual Carnival Party with Miss Richfield
Come have a cocktail with one of Ptown’s favorite entertainers.
This event sells out every year—buy your tickets NOW!
$10 cover benefits Provincetown Business Guild https://www.eventbrite.com/e/2019-carnival-enchanted-forest-tickets-62168003171
Watership Inn, 7 Winthrop

One Enchanted Evening at Town Hall Show
Come join in the fun of an eclectic bunch of Ptown performers.
$10 cover benefits Provincetown Business Guild https://www.eventbrite.com/e/2019-carnival-enchanted-forest-tickets-62168003171
Town Hall Auditorium, 260 Commercial

10 pm to close Magical and Mystical Party at A-House
Dance the night away with Resident DJ and Billboard Magazine reporter David Lasalle.
$10 cover benefits Provincetown Business Guild & Provincetown AIDS Support Group https://www.eventbrite.com/e/2019-carnival-enchanted-forest-tickets-62168003171
A-House, 4-6 Masonic Place

Wednesday, August 21st

8:00 pm Trixie Mattel Live at 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 (originally competing on season 7). He is also a Billboard Heatseekers #1 charting recording artist (One Stone, 2018), a wildly successful theater touring act, and one half of a comic duo on Viceland (“The Trixie and Katya Show”) and on YouTube (“UNHhhh”). In 2019, Trixie will be working the festival circuit as the subject of a bio documentary, “Trixie Mattel: Moving Parts.”
Tickets at https://www.pilgrimhouseptown.com/provincetown-entertainment/
Benefit for Provincetown LGBTQ Welcome Center
Town Hall Auditorium, 260 Commercial

Thursday, August 22nd

The 41st Annual Carnival Parade: Enchanted Forest
Join in the spectacle of Provincetown’s 41st Annual Parade! Come dressed in your most gorgeous Carnival finery celebrating the 2019 Carnival theme, Enchanted Forest!
Parade starts at 3:00 along Commercial Street

10:30 to close Enchanted Underwear Party
Purgatory’s Carnival underwear party is an annual tradition, and one you don’t want to miss.
$10 cover benefits Provincetown Business Guild https://www.eventbrite.com/e/2019-carnival-enchanted-forest-tickets-62168003171
Club Purgatory, 11 Carver

Friday, August 23rd

Galleries located throughout town. Opening and closing times vary. Locations are on our website https://www.ptown.org/shop/galleries/

9:00 pm to close Official Closing Party: Enchanted Creatures Fantasy Ball
The party starts at 9 pm at Wave with VJ Tom Yaz, and at 10 the party moves into Paramount for dancing with DJ J Warren until close.
Tickets: $10 benefits Provincetown Business Guild https://www.eventbrite.com/e/2019-carnival-enchanted-forest-tickets-62168003171
Crown & Anchor, Paramount/Wave, 247 Commercial