Provincetown is rich with history, especially during Thanksgiving.
Thanksgiving in Provincetown
History, Fall Beauty and Shopping
By Kahrin Deines
November 8th, 2008
The fall colors of the Outer Cape’s trees, the great restaurants that await to offer a special meal, and the fact that the Pilgrims landed here first makes Provincetown a great place for a Thanksgiving getaway.
 | Every year the night before Thanksgiving the Pilgrim Monument, which honors the Pilgrim’s landing in Provincetown, is set alight from top to bottom with strings of lights. |
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Yes, it’s true. Most likely your school textbook contended the Pilgrims first set afoot in the new world at Plymouth, but it’s time that falsehood was put to rest. The Mayflower Pilgrims first stepped off their boat in Provincetown, and they spend five weeks exploring the Outer Cape area before deciding to find a different area for settlement.
And, adding to the area’s claim on Pilgrim history, the Mayflower Compact was actually drawn up and signed by the settlers while they looked upon the new shoreline from Provincetown’s Harbor. And, to really seal the deal on Thanksgiving relevance, the Outer Cape is also the area where the Pilgrims first encountered Native Americans through the Wampanoag tribe.
Of course, the early Pilgrims found a very different Outer Cape environment than exists today, and they concluded it was too harsh for settlement.
The Provincetown of today, though, is a beautiful resort town, with an array of dining, shopping and entertainment options. And Thanksgiving weekend is an especially fine time to explore its rich cornucopia of shops and restaurants.
Every year the night before Thanksgiving the Pilgrim Monument, which honors the Pilgrim’s landing in Provincetown, is set alight from top to bottom with strings of lights.
Meanwhile, the Provincetown Retail Association also hosts its “Midnight Madness Shopping” event, during which Provincetown’s stores are open into the evening to offer shoppers a leisurely experience of the weekend’s many sales. There are often arts and crafts offerings presented on the same weekend.
So, what are you waiting for? It’s time to get your history right, enjoy a Thanksgiving feast you don’t have to prepare, and get a jump on your holiday shopping. To find out more about Provincetown’s eclectic variety of stores, browse Provincetown.com’s store listings. We also have a great Room Finder tool and Last Minute Accommodations listings. More can be learned about Provincetown’s great history at the Pilgrim Monument and Provincetown Museum.
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