What do an opera-singing drag queen , a Massachusetts state representative , and a legendary NYC nightlife star have in common?
They have all been named Provincetown Carnival Grand Marshals and will lead the 46th annual Carnival parade down Commercial Street on Aug. 22.
The Grand Marshals are Sapphira Cristal, a classically trained opera singer and composer who won Miss Congeniality on Season 16 of “RuPaul’s Drag Race” ; Rep. Sarah Peake, a Provincetown resident who has served in the state Legislature since 2007; and Kevin Aviance, fashion designer, singer (who has performed alongside Cher and Cyndi Lauper) and drag personality well known in the New York City club scene of the ‘80s and ‘90s.
Here's what we know about this year's Provincetown Carnival.
What is the theme for Provincetown Carnival 2024?
Renaissance + Revolution.
“I think something important to Carnival is that themes connect with the LGBTQ community and can be taken in many ways," said Trevor Pittinger, executive director of the Provincetown Business Guild, which started the parade to bring more LGBTQ+ people to Provincetown in 1978.
Pittinger said he expects to see a lot of people honoring Revolution dressed as Madonna channeling Marie Antoinette circa her 1990 song “Vogue.” For Renaissance, Pittinger said, look for Beyonce look-alikes referencing her moment riding a disco ball horse on her most recent Renaissance album.
“There are no limitations on how you can present yourself. You can have fun by dressing up any way you want to. People plan costumes for a year,” he said.
Parade organizers are also expecting some folks observing the 50th anniversary of the Carnation Revolution which deposed Portugal’s dictatorship in one night in 1974 and, word on the street has it, there will be at least one group of folks with a “British are Coming theme.”
What day is the Provincetown Carnival parade?
The 46th Annual Provincetown Carnival Parade kicks off, rain or shine, from Harbor House Hotel on Commercial Street at 3 p.m. Aug. 22 and usually lasts for 90 minutes. Carnival Week runs Aug. 17-24.
What is the history of the Provincetown Carnival?
“Carnival began in 1978 as a way of welcoming more LGBTQ people to Cape Cod,” Pittinger said. “But now it is one of the most diverse-looking groups in terms of age or straight vs. gay … This event is and will always be for everyone.”
COVID-19 closed Carnival in 2020 and 2021 but it returned in 2022 and has been growing since, Pittinger said. Last year’s theme was “Land of Toys.”
Can you join the Carnival Parade in Provincetown?
Yes. The deadline is July 26 to sign up at ptown.org . The cost ranges from $25 for a walking group to $100 for a large float. Pittinger said there are usually 36-40 floats. This year that will include 13 floats from the Provincetown Business Program, which pairs local artists and businesses to produce the art on wheels.
Pittinger said each of the Grand Marshals will be on their own float.
How much does Provincetown Carnival cost?
The parade is free to attend but there are charges and tickets required for the 17 parties during Carnival, including “Let Them Eat Cake, The Brass Key’s Annual Carnival Pool Party,” 1-5 p.m. Aug. 19, $65 plus fee, featuring DJ Edil Hernandez and hosted by Tadonna. More than 1,000 people are expected for the 21-plus pool and dance party, with Speedos and kaftans, at 67 Bradford St.
Also on the growing list of events is the opening party and costume contest, $20 plus fees, from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. Aug. 18 at the Crown and Anchor; and the sea carnival cruise, $50 plus fees, 4 to 7 p.m. Aug. 18 at MacMillan Pier.
Hotel rooms for last-minute reservations, available now, start at $350 per night, Pittinger said.
What to bring – and not bring – to Provincetown Carnival:
Bring sunscreen and a reusable water bottle, which you will be able to refill at two new hydration stations on Commercial Street.
New this year , do not bring, Pittinger said, plastic Mardi Gras beads which have been thrown from floats in past years. Parade organizers have banned beads for those participating in the parade.
In past years, gobs of plastic beads were thrown from floats. But the guild is working with CARE (Creating A Responsible Environment for the Cape & Islands) this year in encouraging the thousands of Carnival visitors from around the world to help make Carnival a sustainable, non-polluting celebration. Recycling bins will be placed along the parade route.
How to get to Provincetown and where to park?
Coming from Boston? Boston Harbor Cruises is running a later ferry, 9 p.m. departure, Thursday through Sunday of Carnival Week for the first time this year. One-way fare is $68 and reservations are expected to go quickly.
Parking is available on the pier and in town lots, but the spaces go quickly so Pittinger advises coming early and making a day of the Carnival parade. Private lots start at $20 per day.
What is there to do beside the parade?
Although there will be wall-to-wall people in downtown Provincetown, Pittinger said, there are also dozens of Provincetown Business Guild members to visit. He advises: get a cold treat at Lewis Brothers Ice Cream , check out takeout at Rosie's Cantina , which has a service window directly on Commercial Street or stop for a local brew at Provincetown Brewing Co.
Gwenn Friss is the editor of CapeWeek and covers entertainment, restaurants and the arts. Contact her at gfriss@capecodonline.com . Follow her or X, formerly Twitter: @dailyrecipeCCT
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This article originally appeared on Cape Cod Times: Provincetown Carnival 2024: Parade theme, times to parties, parking, and how to get there
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