REVIEW! Provincetown

About

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How Provincetown Became What It Is Today:

Provincetown has the highest concentration of same-sex couple households than any other town/neighborhood/city in the United States.

Provincetown is a town located at the extreme tip of Cape Cod in Barnstable County, Massachusetts. Sometimes called "P-Town", the town is known for its beaches, harbor, artists, tourist industry and its reputation as a gay resort.

The area was originally settled by the Nauset Tribe, who had a settlement known as Meeshawn. Provincetown was incorporated in 1727 after harboring ships for more than a century. Bartholemew Gosnold named Cape Cod in Provincetown Harbor in 1602. In 1620, the Pilgrims signed the Mayflower Compact in the harbor agreeing to settle and build a self-governing community and then came ashore in the West End. Though the Pilgrims chose to settle across the bay in Plymouth, Provincetown enjoyed an early and strong reputation for its fishing grounds. The "Province Lands" were first formally recognized by the Union of Plymouth colony and Massachusetts Bay colony in 1692 and its first municipal government was established in 1714. The population of Provincetown remained small through most of the 18th century. Following the American Revolution, however, Provincetown grew rapidly as a fishing and whaling center.

The population was bolstered by a number of Portuguese sailors who, hired to work on US ships, came to live in Provincetown. By the 1890's, Provincetown was booming and had begun to develop a resident population of writers and artists, as well as a summer tourist industry. After the 1898 Portland Gale severely damaged the town's fishing industry, members of the town's art community took over many of the abandoned buildings. By the early decades of the 20th century, the town had acquired an international reputation for its artistic and literary output. The Provincetown Players was an important, experimental theater company formed during this period and an example of intellectual and artistic connections to Greenwich Village that began then.

The town includes eight buildings and a historic district on the National Register of Historic Places.

In the mid-1960's Provincetown saw population growth. The town's rural character appealed to the hippies of the era; furthermore, property was relatively cheap and rents were correspondingly low, especially during the winter. Many of those wh came stayed and raised families. Commercial Street gained numerous cafes, leather shops, head shops and various hip, small businesses blossomed and many flourished.

In the mid-1970's members of the gay community began moving to Provicnetown. In 1978 the Provincetown Business Guild was formed to promote gay tourism. Today, more than 200 businesses belong to the PBG and Provincetown is perhaps the best-known gay summer resort on the east coast.

Where to STAY

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Enzo
186 Commercial Street
Provincetown, MA 02657

Crown Pointe Historic Inn & Spa
82 Bradford Street
Provincetown, MA 02657

Revere House
14 Court Street
Provincetown, MA 02657

Fairbanks Inn
90 Bradford Street
Provincetown, MA 02657

Beacon Light Guesthouse
12 Winthrop Street
Provincetown, MA 02657

Carriage House
71 Central Street
Provincetown, MA 02657

NightLIFE

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Tea Dance is a Provincetown Tradition. It starts at the Boatslip from 4-7 PM. There’s dancing inside and a large deck overlooking the beach that draws a crowd especially on July and August Weekends. For those that want to continue, there’s After Tea Tea at the Pied from 6-9:30 PM. It then turns back to being a women’s bar Cover charges vary from day to day at the above from $5-$10 or even more.

Tea Dances mainly draw men but some women do go.

The Porchside Bar at the Gifford House is a favorite meeting place as well as The Little Bar at the Atlantic House. There is also The Alibi, The Monkey Bar and Wave at the Crown. For women, there’s the Lobby Bar at Vixen.

Women’s Clubs:
There’s the Pied after 10pm, and Vixen where you’ll find a dance club, entertainment in the early evening and a large bar with pool tables.

Leather:
The Vault at the Crown, the Macho Bar, upstairs at the A-House are the main haunts. You’ll find a good crowd there on any night after 11 pm in the high season. On weekends there can be lines to get in since they fill to capacity.
— The Vault moves to Paramount for At Large Leather Parties
Purgatory has Leather night on Sundays.

Men’s Clubs:
The Atlantic House (The A-House) has been The dance club for years. There is also an outside area since it gets really crowded on the dance floor. There are theme parties every Friday night but don’t feel you have to dress for the party — only a handful usually do except on major holidays such as the 4th of July and Carnival.

Paramount at the Crown has State of the art light and sound. You can also sit outside by the pool if you want some fresh air and some new scenery. Purgatory downstairs at the Gifford House also has a dance bar Wave at the Crown is a video bar with pool tables. A casual hangout anytime of day.

Women & Men:
Everyone is welcome at any of the above clubs. For those looking for a straight club, there's the Governor Bradford. They have pool tables downstairs, live music, backgammon, chess and a restaurant. The Pig is also very popular.

Many of the restaurants have casual bars where one can hang out once the dinner crowd is finished. The Commons has a nice outdoor area with great frozen drinks. The Mews also has a bar in their café upstairs. The Monkey Bar has become a popular hangout. The Landmark has a bar with a piano player on many nights as does the Lobby Bar at the Gifford House.

Alibi

Atlantic House (A-House)

Bacchanal Wine Bar @ Pilgrim House Hotel

Bayside Betsy’s/Mixers

Blue Bar @ Patio

Boatslip Resort

Club 477/Mallory Dock

Crown Cabaret @ The Crown & Anchor

Governor Bradford

Paramount Nightclub @ The Crown & Anchor

PiedBar

Porchside Bar @ The Gifford House Inn

The Club Purgatory

The Grotta Bar at ENZO

The Monkey Bar

The Vault @ The Crown & Anchor

Vixen Nightclub

WAVE Video Bar @ The Crown & Anchor

Wet Spot @ The Boatslip

SHOPPING

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Atlantic Cotton Company
Casual cotton clothing.

Birdie Silkscreen Studio
Birdie Silkscreen Studio is a unique clothing store with specifically designed images of Provincetown and Cape Cod.

Board Stiff
Surf, skate and sport apparel and accessories.

Cotton Gallery
T-shirts and much much more.

D. Flax
Open March-January. Hand printed T's and sweats, from the very cool to the very simple.

Daniel Cleary
Fine,fashionable clothing

DIANE Z
TRENDY CLOTHES FOR MEN AND WOMEN.HOTTEST DENIM STORE IN TOWN. FEATURING NAMES LIKE SEVEN JEANS FOR ALL MANKIND, JUICY...

French Kiss
368 Commercial Street 508-487-0295 Upscale women's clothing boutique including misses and plus sizes. Unique casual clothing.

Go Fish
From the owners of Littlebits and Kid Stuff, more clothes for the little ones, stuffed animals and toys.

Human Rights Campaign Store
Our Symbol "Equality is the heart of everything HRC stands for -- an equal opportunity to share in the rights...

Karol Richardson
Contemporary Women's Clothing & Accessories, Lilith, Margaret O'Leary, Il Bisonet, Handcrafted Jewelry, Complimentary Gift Wrapping.

Kidstuff
Provincetown's first children's specialty store featuring cotton lines infant-size 12Beanie Babies too!

Lady'Z Boutique
He-She vintage clothing, wigs, costume jewelry, make-up, make-up application.

Market
Clothes for men.

MG Leather @ Club Purgatory
Shop days at the store located @ 338 Commercial St.

Moda Fina
Women's clothing, shoes and accessories.An eclectic and colorful clothing and shoe store that has a reputation for unique styles,quality fabrics...

Ragg Time Ltd.
Womens Casual Comfortable Clothing. Home of original Wellfleet oyster T-shirts,sweats & hats.

Silk And Feathers
Clothing for the new millennium. Let us dress you head to toe! We have readers, watches, lingerie, clothing, shoes.

ENTERTAINMENT

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For those who follow the gay travel and event circuit, Provincetown is currently a destination of choice during the week surrounding the July 4th holiday. The town is successful enough to now offer 2 full series of events that compete during "Circuit Week" for the best boat cruise, most elaborate dance event and most famous DJ.

Notable festivals during the year include:

Carnival Week
Mid-August

Portuguese Festival
Late-June

"Holly Folly"
Nov 21-Jan 2

"Bear Week"
July 12-19

"Mate's Leather Weekend"
Oct 3-5

"Women's Week"
Oct 10-19

"Family Week"
July 26-Aug 2

"Single Men's Weekend"
Nov 3-7

"Provincetown Film Festival"
June

"Provincetown Jazz Festival"
August

Provincetown is also home to three contemporary resident theater companies:

The New Provincetown Players
Shakespeare on the Cape
The Gold Dust Orphans

Norman Miller's novel, "Tough Guys Don't Dance" and Annie Dillard's novel, "The Maytrees" are primarily based in Provincetown.

The BEACHES

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The Travel Channel has rated Provincetown’s beaches the sixth best in the country! Provincetown offers a wide variety of beaches, from Race Point’s dramatic sweep of tall dunes on the Atlantic Ocean to narrow Herring Cove, where ocean meets the bay. Don’t miss the beaches on Long Point—if you want a bit more seclusion from the summer hordes, trek across the breakwater and find a spot far removed from the crowds. It’s one of the most dramatic and beautiful walks you will ever take, crossing Provincetown Harbor on the gigantic rocks that prevent the fragile marshlands from being swallowed by the ocean.

If you’re looking for a more spirited, community experience, Herring Cove is one of the most famous gay beaches in the world. Here there’s a place for everybody. Just turn left when you enter the Herring Cove parking lot and head up to the beach. The women tend to gather first, then the guys, then the—ahem, naturalists. (Just make sure you watch out for the rangers, as bathing suits are officially required.) Stay at least once until dusk: this is the only place on the East where the sun sets over the ocean. Despite what you’ve heard, the water is warm enough to swim in all summer. Sure, it’s a bit bracing in June or early July when you first take the plunge, but once you’re in, it’s magnificent!

Nearly two-thirds of the town's land is covered by the Cape Cod National Seashore. To the north lie the "Province Lands", the area of dunes and small ponds extending from Mount Ararat in the east to Race Point in the west, along the Massachusetts Bay shore. The Cape Cod Bay shoreline extends from Race Point to the far west to the Wood End in the south, eastward to Long Point, which points inward towards the Cape and provides a natural barrier for Provincetown Harbor. All three points are marked by lighthouses.

Restaurant Listings & REVIEWS

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BAYSIDE BETSY'S
177 Commercial St., Provincetown, MA 02657, Voice: 508-487-6566, Fax: 508-487-5537 Email Web Site Casual Fine Waterfront Dining. Open year round. Serving breakfast, lunch and dinner. Great Menu's. Catering and takeout service available. Have cocktails in Mixers our intimate lounge. Take-Out anytime.

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BISTRO AT CROWNE POINTE INN & SPA
82 Bradford Street, Provincetown, MA 02657, Voice: 508-487-6767 Ext 505 Email Web Site Experience our contemporary dishes made with the freshest local ingredients. Our restaurant is open year round for dinner starting at 6PM. Enjoy dinner at the footsteps of the Pilgrim Monument. Reservations suggested.

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BUBALA'S
183 Commercial Street, Provincetown, MA 02657, Voice: 508-487-0773, Fax: 508-487-2016 Email Web Site Bubbala's is a buzzing bistro at the beginning of the West End. Bubala's has become a local institution serving fantastic food in a fun atmosphere. Check out our streetside patio. Parking available!

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BURGER QUEEN
331 Commercial Street, Provincetown, MA 02657, Voice: 508-487-4749 Email "The best burgers in town." A favorite with P-towners and tourists. Great food, friendly service, relaxed outdoor atmosphere. Serving burgers, fries, cheese steaks, seafood and more.

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CENTRAL HOUSE BAR & GRILLE
247 Commercial St, Provincetown, MA 02657, Voice: 508-487-1430, ext 3 Web Site Dine inside or out for lunch and dinner. Early Bird menu and charming bar also available. Nightly entertainment in season and during holidays.

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CHACH
73 Shank Painter Road, Provincetown, MA 02657, Voice: 508-487-1530 Email Serving breakfast and lunch. Open at 7:00 AM til 3:00 PM. Closed Wednesdays. Located at 73 Shank Painter Road.

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CHESTER RESTAURANT
404 Commercial St., Provincetown, MA 02657, Voice: 508-487-8200, Fax: 508-487-0469 Email Highest Zagat-rated restaurant on the Outer Cape. Outstanding seasonal American menu, polished service, gracious ambiance, Wine Spectator award-winning wine list. Apr - Oct.

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CLEM & URSIE'S RESTAURANT, MARKET & CATERING
Shank Painter Road, Provincetown, MA 02657, Voice: 508-487-2333, Fax: 508-487-4327 Email Web Site Seafood, lobster, BBQ in a local artist atmosphere. New York Times favorite, Boston Globe and The Boston Phoenix rave. Come see what all the locals are talking about.

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COMMONS GUEST HOUSE & BISTRO
386 Commercial St., Provincetown, MA 02657, Voice: 508-487-7800, Toll Free: 800-487-0784 Email Web Site Two 19th century homes, handsomely restored and updated offering elegant, comfortable accommodations and superb dining. 14 guest rooms all with private bath, over-sized beds, AC, TV and phone.

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ENZO
186 Commercial Street, Provincetown, MA 02657, Voice: 508-487-7555 Email Web Site Enzo Guest House,Restaurant & Grotta Bar - located in the thriving west of Provincetown, our beautifully restored Victorian building is perfect for a night out or a night away. You are invited to stay in one of our luxuriously appointed guest rooms, dine in our fine Italian restaurant, enjoy the ambiance and water view from our patio, or sample summer cocktails and live entertainment in the Grotta Bar.

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FANIZZI'S BY THE SEA
539 Commercial St, Provincetown, MA 02657, Voice: 508-487-1964 Email Web Site On the East End in a picturesque, sea-weathered house - spectacular views of Cape Cod Bay, windows line the room, and the salt sprays only feet from your table. Lunch, Dinner - Open Year Round. Sunday Brunch. Early Bird Specials

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LOBSTER POT
321 Commercial St, harborside, Provincetown, MA 02657, Voice: 508-487-0842 Email Web Site "A Provincetown tradition" to those visiting the Outer Cape. Our two waterfront dining rooms provide the harbor view while our full menu, served all day, offers the finest & freshest in seafood, Portuguese specialties, steaks, poultry, vegetarian and light fare. Cocktails served in the "TOP" of the POT bar.

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MEWS RESTAURANT & CAFE
429 Commercial St., Provincetown, MA 02657, Voice: 508-487-1500 Email Web Site Beach front fine dining plus a more casual mahogany clad waterfront cafe. New England's largest selection of vodka's(over 170). Sunday brunch May-Oct. Intercontinental cuisine.

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NAPI'S RESTAURANT
7 Freeman St., Provincetown, MA 02657, Voice: 508-487-1145, Toll Free: 800-571-6274 Email Web Site Provincetown's most unusual restaurant, serving the finest local seafoods, international dishes and vegetarian cuisine. Air-conditdioned and smoke-free dining. Free parking available.

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PATIO AMERICAN GRILL & BLUE BAR
328 Commercial Street, Provincetown, MA 02657, Voice: 508-487-4003, Fax: 508-487-4043 Web Site New England specialties, Lobster, Salads, Steaks, Sandwiches, Seafood, Cocktails, Frozen Drinks, Blue Bar, Late Night Coffee, Desserts, Outside Patio.

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PEPE'S WHARF RESTAURANT
371 Commercial Street, Provincetown, MA 02657, Voice: 508-487-4995 Overlooking Provincetown harbor, Pepe's offers a casual - upscale menu with the best view in town. Serving lunch & dinner, enjoy fresh seafood, prime meats, pizza & panini & full liquor service.

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POST OFFICE CAFE
303 Commercial St., Provincetown, MA 02657, Voice: 508-487-3892 One of Provincetown's most popular year-round restaurants. Located in the center of town. "Great food, great entertainment, great prices." - Advocate. Entertainers include: Varla Jean Merman, Judy Gold, Suzanne Westenhoefer, and Sopie B. Hawkins.

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ROSS' GRILL
237 Commercial St, Provincetown, MA 02657, Voice: 508-487-8878 Web Site Above sea level on the second floor of the new Whalers Wharf. An American grill and wine bar. Lunch from 11:30 to 4PM. Sunday at noon, dinner starts 5:30PM. Closed Tues. and Wed. off season.

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TOP MAST CAFE
209 Shore Road (Route 6A), North Truro, MA 02652, Voice: 508-487-2099, Fax: 508-487-6451 Email Serving Breakfast and lunch 7am-2pm daily. Friday Night Fish Fry 5-9pm. Lots of free parking. Great daily specials. Take out available. Function room available in the evenings for private parties. Operated by Ptown Parties Catering & Event Planning.

Getting HERE & Getting AROUND

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Provincetown is located at the tip of Cape Cod, Massachusetts, 116 miles from Boston. It's about 2 1/2 to 3 hours by car, depending on traffic. By air, it is only 20 minutes. Provincetown is served by seasonal ferries to Boston and to Plymouth that charge their passengers up to $44 for a one-way trip, up to $70 for a round-trip ticket. Both dock at MacMillian Pier, located just east of the Town Hall. There is no rail service, but is the home of Provincetown Municipal Airport, located just east of Race Point. The airport is mostly for private and occasional commuter service, there are several flights to and from Boston Logan Airport, the nearest national and international airport.

Museums & Art Galleries

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Provincetown Art Association & Museum
460 Commercial Street
Provincetown, MA 02657

Whydah Museum
16 Macmillion Wharf
Provincetown, MA 02657

Pilgrim Monument & Provincetown Museum
High Pole Hill Road
Provincetown, MA 02657
508.487.1310

Albert Merola Gallery
Gallery artists: David Armstrong, Richard Baker, James Balla, Fritz Bultman, Peter Busa, Ann Chernow, Donna Flax, Pat de Groot, Jacqueline Humphries, Lester Johnson, Cary S. Leibowitz/Candyass, Michael Mazur, Lamar Peterson, Jack Pierson, Duane Slick, John Waters, Helen Miranda Wilson, Tomothy Woodman and Frank Yamrus.
Since 1987, the Albert Merola Gallery (formerly known as UFO Gallery) has held a prominent place in Provincetown as one of the primary venues for contemporary as well as historically significant Provincetown art.
424 Commercial Street, Provincetown
508-487-4424

Alice Brock Studio
Paintings, prints, posters, beach stones & more from the Alice of
"How to Massage Your Cat" a must book to have!
69 Commercial Street, Provincetown
508-487-1279

Antonelli Giardelli Gallery
Featuring the paintings of Thomas Antonelli.
416 Commercial Street, Provincetown
508-487-9693

ArtSTRAND
Representing Bob Bailey, Paul Bowen, Jay Critchley, Breon Dunigan, Maryalice Johnston, Irene Lipton, Sarah Lutz, Jim Peters, Anna Poor, Daniel Ranalli, Tabitha Vevers and Bert Yarborough.
494 Commercial Street, Provincetown
508-487-1153

Berta Walker Gallery
Presenting the history of American art as seen through the eyes of Provincetown.
208 Bradford Street, Provincetown
508-487-6411

Bowersock Gallery
373 Commercial Street, Provincetown
508-487-4994

Camino Gallery
205 Commercial Street, Provincetown
508-776-0712

Castle Hill Gallery
10 Meetinghouse Road, Truro
508-349-7511

Charles-Baltivik Gallery
Contemporary Provincetown art including oils, traditional whiteline woodcuts and familiar scenes by gallery artists.
432 Commercial Street, Provincetown
508-487-3611

Clibbon Gallery
120 Commercial Street, Provincetown
508-487-3563

Conwell Gallery
14 Conwell Street, Provincetown
508-487-1773

Egeli Gallery
382 Commercial Street, Provincetown
508-487-00445

Ernden Fine Art Gallery
The gallery concentrates on modern and contemporary paintings, photography and sculpture. The purpose behind this gallery is to bring to the public a venue by which they can enjoy the creative spirit behind a group of up and coming artists.
397 Commercial Street, Provincetown
508-487-6700

Gail Browne Gallery
Watercolors, oil painting, prints, glass works, and ceramic sculptures.
364 Commercial Street, Provincetown
508-487-6812

Galeria Cubana
234 Commercial Street (Courtyard), Provincetown
508-487-2822

Gallery Voyeur
Featuring the large-scale originals and archival limited editions of Johniene Papandreas.
444 Commercial Street, Provincetown
508-487-3678

Hilda Neily Gallery
Hilda Neily belongs to the prestigious community of painters living and working in Provincetown, Massachusetts. Primarily a landscape, still-life and seascape painter, Neily's focus is on the changing light conditions and the expression of these changes in color.
398 Commercial Street, Provincetown
508-487-6300, 508-487-0144

Hudson D. Walker Gallery / Fine Art Work Center
Open year-round with dynamic, thought-provoking exhibitions.
24 Pearl Street, Provincetown
508-487-8873

Julie Heller Gallery
Work by Milton Avery, Peter Busa, Oliver Chaffee, Nanno de Groot, Edwin Dickinson, Charles Hawthorne, Henry Hensche, Hans Hofmann, Joseph Kaplan, Karl Knaths, Blanche Lazzell, Lucy L'Engle, William E'Engle, Dorothy Loeb, Ross Moffett, Robert Motherwell, Alvin Ross, Jack Tworkov, William Zorach and more
2 Gosnold Street, Provincetown
508-487-2169

Kiley Court Gallery
Representing Robert Cardinal, Steve Kennedy, Frank Milby and more.
445 Commercial Street, Provincetown
508-487-4496

Kobalt Gallery
Representing Andahazy, Cohen, Dukess, Hatch, Jo Hay, Inman, Kawata, Kelley, Lauenstein, Pashko, Railsback, Raymond, Roth, Shulman, Sullivan, Ware & Winter.
432 Commercial Street, Provincetown
508-487-1133

Mary Ince
Works on paper
508-685-9742

McGuire Gallery
465 Commercial Street, Provincetown
508-4870091

Provincetown Art Association and Museum (PAAM)
Exhibitions, art classes, lectures, concerts and gift shop. Special programs for kids. Life drawing classes.
460 Commercial Street, Provincetown
508-487-1750

Simie Maryles Gallery
Paintings, sculpture, glass & giclee prints.
435 Commercial Street, Provincetown
508-487-7878

Tao Water Gallery
352 Commercial Street, Provincetown
508-487-8880

Thanassi Gallery
Works by Thanassi, Trellis, Holton, MacCormack, Skaperdas, Colligan, Leonard, De Brito & Tersolo.
Early works by: Hensche, Moffett, John Whorf, Martin, Wilson, Sawer, Barber & Charles Hawthorne.
234 Commercial Street, Provincetown
508-487-0233

The Backshore Gallery
Featuring work by Peter Clemons, David Forest Thompson, Richard Stimpson, Walter Baranowski & Tommy Clemons.
394 Commercial Street, Provincetown
508-487-6870, backshoregallery@aol.com

TJ Walton Gallery
153 Commercial Street, Provincetown
508-737-6697

William Scott Gallery
439 Commercial Street, Provincetown
508-487-4040