Special holiday events are common all over the Cape, but perhaps none is as highly anticipated as Holiday Showcase, which will take place at the Cultural Center of Cape Cod in South Yarmouth. This event is typically held every three years, but CoViD-19 uncertainty saw it postponed in 2020, so the 2021 event will be the first one since 2017.
The 2021 version of this festival runs from November 18 through November 20 and will see dozens of artisans selling their one-of-a-kind crafts in a makeshift market. The event also features a pop-up museum spread over eight themed rooms depicting scenes from the Cape’s rich history.
This year’s event is entitled “Four Hundred Years of Holidays on Cape Cod,” and each space will represent a distinct spot on the Cape at a specific time in the past. Every scene is handmade by members of the Garden Club of Hyannis, and the detail that goes into these rooms is incredible.
Tickets to Holiday Showcase are $20 each, and keep in mind that proof of vaccination or a negative CoViD test from the preceding 72 hours is required for entrance.
Here’s a look at what you can expect at Holiday Showcase: Four Hundred Years of Holidays on Cape Cod.
What Is It?
Holiday Showcase: 400 Years of Holidays on Cape Cod is two events in one. First, it’s a craft fair, as over 2,000 handmade items will be available for purchase, making it a great place to pick up a souvenir while on vacation.
However, the main reason to visit this festival is that it’ll walk you through over 400 years of Cape Cod history, starting from when the Pilgrims first arrived in present-day Provincetown.
The Cultural Center of Cape Cod will be divided into eight sections, allowing visitors to tour the Cape without leaving the building. Volunteers will decorate each room to represent a particular town at a certain point in history, taking you back in time to experience Cape Cod’s rich past.
First, there’s the Provincetown room, which will take you to the time of the Pilgrims. There’s also a Sandwich room exploring the town’s glassmaking history, a Harwichport room that takes you to Thompson’s Clam Bar, a Yarmouthport room depicting a wedding at a sea captain’s home, and a Bass River holiday reception.
Other rooms include Hyannisport, which will show you a children’s Christmas in Camelot, Sconset, which explores Christmas past and present, and Nantucket, which presents a late-season harvest.
Every one of these rooms will make you feel like you’re stepping into a specific moment in Cape Cod’s history, and the experience will undoubtedly become one of the most memorable things you do on your vacation to the region.
How to Get There
Fortunately, reaching the Cultural Center of Cape Cod is straightforward, as the venue sits just off Main Street in the heart of South Yarmouth. It’s located on Old Main Street, which is the second left after crossing the Bass River Bridge from West Dennis.
There’s a small parking lot behind the building, which should be large enough to accommodate everyone attending the festival at any given time. If necessary, there’s additional parking at the park across the street.
What Else You Should Know
It’s highly recommended that you purchase your tickets to this event head of time because there’s no telling if further CoViD restrictions will limit the number of people who can be in the building. You’ll also save a bit of cash doing things this way because tickets are $20 in advance and $25 at the door.
Buying early also allows you to email your proof of vaccination before arrival, saving time as you enter the building. The event runs for three days and is open between 9:00 AM and 5:00 PM.
If you’re looking to spend some time on the Cape in the lead-up to the holiday season, booking a vacation rental in the South Yarmouth area in mid-November is a consideration.
No other experience allows you to explore over 400 years of Cape Cod history in a single location and buy some artisan crafts, as this pop-up museum is truly a one-of-a-kind holiday event.
