On the morning of July 4, residents and visitors will have to decide between parades held in Provincetown, Wellfleet, and Orleans. Those without a town allegiance might want to know that Wellfleet’s theme is “Star-Spangled Summer!” and Orleans’s is “Red, White, Blue, and You!,” while Provincetown takes a shockingly traditional approach on this one and simply announces its “Fourth of July Parade.”
Here’s what you need to know to catch a twirler, a boat, or a fireworks show or two before your patriotic sentiments subside.
Provincetown
The July 4th parade begins at 11 a.m. at the Harbor Hotel and follows Commercial Street to Franklin Street. Entrants will be judged in a range of categories: Most Patriotic, Best in Parade, Best Musical, Children’s, and Adult Floats. There is no overall theme, but organizers say “Don’t forget to wear your red, white, and blue!”
The town will have a fireworks show at around 8:45 p.m. over Provincetown Harbor. You can watch the show from MacMillan Pier or from most bayside beaches as far south as Truro.
Wellfleet
Wellfleet’s parade promises “good ol’ fashioned hometown holiday hurrah!,” according to the town’s chamber of commerce. It will feature a nostalgic car parade that begins at 9:30 a.m. The parade of floats begins a half hour later. Be prepared for some of the participants to throw out “candy, beads, or other small items” from their floats or vehicles (water guns and hoses are prohibited).
The procession makes a loop starting at the town pier, moving up Holbrook Avenue, turning right on Main Street and then right on East Commercial Street back to the pier. The judges will sit on the town hall green, observing and deciding which float deserves the grand prize — an honor that comes with a trophy.
Orleans
In case you and your patriotism can’t wait until Tuesday, be aware that the Orleans Friends of the Fourth of July will host a fireworks show at dusk on Saturday, July 1 at Rock Harbor. Park in the public lots around Orleans, including at the Nauset Middle School, on Main Street, and Old Colony Way, and at Skaket Beach. You can also watch the show from the Eastham side of the harbor, or in Brewster at Crosby Landing Beach and Linnell Landing Beach.
The Orleans parade begins at 10 a.m. on July 4 at Eldredge Park Way and will travel toward the lights at West Road, turning right on Route 6A, right at Main Street, right at Route 28, and right again onto Daley’s Terrace. It then progresses onto Marston’s Way, crosses Eldredge Park Way, and concludes in the Nauset Regional Middle School parking lot.
The parade has a concise list of award categories: Business, Family, and Nonprofit. —Nicholas Miller
