Check Out the Yarmouth Seaside Festival

Although the Cape is mainly a summer destination, plenty of reasons to visit in other seasons exist. As we move into fall, for example, autumn festivals are taking place up and down Cape Cod, and most are excellent events for the entire family.

One of these festivals is the Yarmouth Seaside Festival, a tradition on Columbus Day weekend every year. This year’s event will go ahead between October 6 and 8, with most events taking place at Joshua Sears Memorial Field in South Yarmouth. Some functions be held at the beaches and other venues around town, however. This year’s festival will be its 40th edition and will include activities like a craft fair, a parade, rides, food, races, and fireworks.

If you’re thinking about visiting Cape Cod this fall, the Yarmouth Seaside Festival is just one of the prominent events taking place as the leaves start to change. And since the festival is free, unless of course to buy crafts or food, you won’t have to worry about breaking the bank.

Arts and Crafts Fair

The arts and crafts fair at the event attracts more than 125 vendors from all over New England to Yarmouth, selling everything from ceramics to jewelry to collections of local art. This fair is a great place to look for Christmas presents or souvenirs, as you’re sure to find items that aren’t available anywhere else.

The craft fair runs on the Saturday and Sunday of the festival from 10:00 AM until 5:00 PM, so you’ll have plenty of opportunities to get out there and see what you can find. It takes place at Joshua Sears Memorial Field, and there is plenty of parking nearby.

Rides, Games, Music, and Food

You’ll find a wide range of other events at the same location as the arts and crafts fair. It all starts on Saturday morning with pumpkin decorating, followed by a science show, animal encounter, trampoline show, and pie-eating contest. On Sunday, the science show, trampoline demonstration, and animal encounter are back, and there is a demonstration by the police department’s K-9 unit, as well.

There are concerts, food vendors, rides, and games throughout the entire weekend, so make sure you stop by at some point. The kid’s tent show is a particularly popular event, with concerts taking place in two locations on a rotating schedule.

The Races

If you haven’t witnessed any of the races that are part of the Yarmouth Seaside Festival, you’re truly missing out because they add a unique flavor to the weekend as a whole. Perhaps the most popular is the Bed Race. In this event, four team members push a custom-made bed through a course with a fifth team member riding it. There are awards for winning the race, in addition to the most outrageous bed and worst-designed bed. The bed race takes place at Bridgewater State University at 11:00 AM on Saturday, October 6. Even if you don’t have time to put a bed or a team together, it’s fun to head down there to experience it for yourself.

On Sunday, October 7, there will be a 3-mile road race through the streets of South Yarmouth. This race begins and ends at Bridgewater State University, with everything getting started at 9:00 AM. You can register the day of the run if you get down there by about 8:00, allowing you to participate if you’re in the mood for a jog. Finally, on Monday, October 8, there’s a canoe and kayak race from Bass River Beach to Wilbur Park. The race goes upriver, with a party taking place at the Sea Dog Brew Pub once the last racer has crossed the finish line.

Fireworks and Bonfires

On the Saturday night, you can head to Bass River Beach for a bonfire, starting at 6:00 PM. The fire is a family-friendly event and a great place to just hang out and enjoy the company of some locals.

There are fireworks on the Sunday at Seagull Beach in West Yarmouth. They get started at about 8:00 PM and this year’s presentation is in memory of Bob Stanton, a long-time member of the event’s organizing committee. Make sure you bring your beach chairs.

The Parade

One of the event’s annual highlights is the parade, which runs down Route 28 from the old drive-in across from Captain Parker’s Pub in West Yarmouth to the Massachusetts State Police building in South Yarmouth. The entire route is 1.8 miles in length, so there are plenty of places for you to find a spot to watch.

The parade has plenty of things for the entire family to enjoy, including old cars, floats, military vehicles, and marching bands. Because the upcoming festival is the 40th anniversary, you can expect it to be extra special this time around.

Start the Fall Right

As long as you’re on Cape Cod in the fall, you might as well get out there and enjoy everything this area has to offer. Just because the crowds have left after the summer doesn’t mean there isn’t something to do each and every day and you might even enjoy it more because you won’t have to wait in lines or struggle to find parking.

The Cape is positively becoming a destination for all seasons and the fact that Yarmouth puts on the Seaside Festival every year provides just one more reason to spend your fall holiday in a Cape Cod vacation rental.