Fireworks on the beach this weekend at this Cape Cod fall festival
The 48th Annual Yarmouth Seaside Festival , Oct. 10-12, will have a petting zoo for the first time in many years, and the man who climbs inside a six-foot balloon is returning because he was so popular last year.
Otherwise, not much changes year to year, and that's just fine with Jan Butler, who created the festival 49 years ago so her town would have a family-friendly celebration to mark the end of summer.
"This is my 48th one. I was 30, and I just turned 79," Butler said.
Her youngest grandchild is now 27, but she continues to coordinate the volunteer-powered Seaside Festival for other people's children. With good weather, the festival draws about 25,000 people from all over, mostly on Saturday and Sunday, which are packed with activities, Butler said.
For a full schedule of activities, visit the festival's website at yarmouthseasidefestival.com .
What is there to do at the Yarmouth Seaside Festival?
Highlights include a Saturday night bonfire from 6 to 9 p.m. at Smuggler's Beach (also known as Bass River Beach) and fireworks at 8 p.m. Sunday off Seagull Beach in West Yarmouth. Pro tip: The fireworks can be seen from all the town beaches.
Butler encourages people to bring light beach chairs, sweaters, bug spray, blankets, and anything else needed for a cool October evening on the beach.
Other things to do include a craft fair, live music, and children's activities from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday at Joshua Sears Memorial Field, near Yarmouth Town Hall and the Cape Cod Collaborative at 1175 Route 28. Animals, including a goat, rabbits, and a tortoise, will be part of the Fairhaven-based Blazing Saddles Rescue petting zoo at the field, Butler said.
There is also a Birds of Prey show that runs three times each day on Saturday and Sunday.
Don't miss the 1 p.m. Saturday pie-eating contest for kids and adults.
At 9 a.m. Sunday, there is a 5K road race that drew 300 runners last year, Butler said. Registration starts at 8 a.m. in front of the Cape Cod Collaborative.
The World Record Balloon Stunt Show, with James Johnson, is at noon, 2 p.m., and 4 p.m. Sunday at Joshua Sears Memorial Field.
On Monday, the annual canoe and kayak race goes from Smuggler's Beach to Wilbur Park.
"We always follow the tides," Butler said.
Also on Monday, Oct. 12, from 9 a.m. to noon, there is a family sand sculpture contest on Smuggler's Beach."This year the theme is 'Happy 250th Birthday, America,'" Butler said.
Good to know: The Yarmouth Seaside Festival's sand sculpture competition is separate from Yarmouth's Sand Sculpture Trail , sponsored by the Yarmouth Chamber of Commerce and created by internationally known artist Sean Fitzpatrick and his wife, Tracey. Indigenous Peoples' Day weekend is the last time to see this year's 23 sculptures, ranging from a fast ferry to "Toy Story " characters. Find a map at yarmouthcapecod.com .
How much does the Yarmouth Seaside Festival and parking cost?
Thanks to more than three dozen community sponsors, everything is free, except for $5 parking behind Town Hall, the Cape Cod Collaborative, and the Little League field, and $1 per pumpkin at the Girl Scouts' decorating stand. You may want to bring money for food from the Veterans Lunch Box and other food trucks, as well as for shopping at the craft booths.
Gwenn Friss is the editor of CapeWeek and covers entertainment, restaurants and the arts on Cape Cod, Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket. Contact her at gfriss@capecodonline.com .
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This article originally appeared on Cape Cod Times: Fireworks on the beach this weekend at this Cape Cod fall festival
