WELLFLEET — Swells from the aftermath of Hurricane Ernesto and an eerie fog mixed with drifting smoke from Canada’s wildfires enveloped White Crest Beach on Aug. 18 as hundreds of […]
Community
Stories that need telling, about the people—past and present—of this place.
Browse all Community stories below or dive into a topic:
THEME PARTY
Carnival’s ‘Revolution’ Theme Tests the Edge of Vacation Fantasies
In a liberal town with an economy built on fun, political themes were common
PROVINCETOWN — The town’s 46th annual Carnival parade moved down Commercial Street with its typical buoyance on Aug. 22: painted props and bodies glittered in sunlight, and floats sent out […]
SURFING
The Oldtimers Longboard Classic Turns 50 in the Fog
Surfers brave hurricane-powered waves for a day that’s more ‘goofy’ than competitive
WELLFLEET — Swells from the aftermath of Hurricane Ernesto and an eerie fog mixed with drifting smoke from Canada’s wildfires enveloped White Crest Beach on Aug. 18 as hundreds of […]
PIER JUMPING
Making the Leap in Provincetown
At MacMillan Pier, a summer tradition that’s ‘an exhilaration thing’
PROVINCETOWN — Pier jumping is a tradition here. On almost any summer day when the tide is high, you’ll see people laughing, holding hands, and then leaping off MacMillan Pier […]
LIFE SAVERS
3 Young Sailors Come to the Rescue at Town Pier
They were prepared, thanks to Provincetown’s children’s sailing program
PROVINCETOWN — JJ Blake, Andrew Shope, and Kevin Woznac were biking down MacMillan Wharf on Aug. 19 to go pier jumping before their daily lessons at West End Racing Children’s […]
ON THE AIR
The Art of the Interview
Ira Wood on crafting a ‘directed conversation’
There are four rules that underpin a good interview, says Ira Wood, host and producer of The Lowdown on WOMR. Maybe the most important one, he says, is this: lavish […]
INDEPENDENCE DAY
The Domino Effect
For Jamaicans, the game creates community, preserves culture, and passes the time
PROVINCETOWN — Jamaica’s Independence Day on Aug. 6 was celebrated in fits and starts here, as intermittent rainstorms moved across the sky and work commitments drew people away from the […]
BUSINESS
High-Interest Loan Pushes Willy’s Into Bankruptcy
Owner of popular Eastham gym files for Chapter 11
EASTHAM — Barbara Niggel, the owner of Willy’s World Wellness and Conference Center, has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, unable to pay off a $6.87-million short-term commercial loan on her […]
CHARACTER STUDIES
Finding Disco, Leather, and Love in 1970s Provincetown
Ardis Markarian has no claim to fame. She just loves it here.
Leading the way to her living room, Ardis Markarian adjusts a visitor’s view of Provincetown. “You don’t have to be a writer or artist to live here,” she says. “You […]
HISTORY
At Race Point, a Shipwreck Rescue Relived
Remembering the surfmen who saved lives with cannons, hawser lines, and breeches buoys
PROVINCETOWN — It was a dark Thursday afternoon with a squall moving in, the kind of conditions that might set the stage for the dramatic rescue of shipwrecked mariners but […]
ROOTS
Farmers Market Week Kicks Off With Song and Dance
Community, local food, and indigenous culture cycle through the Truro market
TRURO — The Wampanoag Nation Singers and Dancers performed here on Aug. 5 in front of a crowd that included the market’s usual Monday shoppers along with Mass. Dept. of […]
HISTORY
At Race Point, a Shipwreck Rescue Relived
Remembering the surfmen who saved lives with cannons, hawser lines, and breeches buoys
PROVINCETOWN — It was a dark Thursday afternoon with a squall moving in, the kind of conditions that might set the stage for the dramatic rescue of shipwrecked mariners but […]
COVE WATCH
On and Off the Lifeguards’ Chair at Herring Cove Beach
A tight-knit team of students, entrepreneurs, and ‘lifers’ who love their Seashore jobs
PROVINCETOWN — Alan Weaver is a real estate broker in Hudson, N.Y. for most of the year, but this summer he’s a lifeguard at Herring Cove Beach in Provincetown. With […]
PAN-MASS CHALLENGE
Spreading Happiness at a Wellfleet Water Stop
Affected by losses to cancer, volunteers are inspired to help
The volunteers at the Wellfleet rest stop, one of three on Cape Cod for last weekend’s Pan-Mass Challenge (PMC), had just one job: keep the thousands of cyclists who pass […]
ON THE BALL
Beach Volleyballers Mourn Loss of Longnook
Relocated to Ballston after decades at their regular court, they hope the move is temporary
TRURO — The sun beats down on an 81-degree Sunday at Ballston Beach. The southwest wind whips, and the net writhes. It’s a battle against the elements at beach volleyball […]
