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Cape Cod Events
January 2026

January Nature Walk at the Beach

Polar plunges, live music extravaganzas, guided nature hikes, a fabulous orchid show, and so much more.

There's plenty to see and do around Cape Cod this first full month of winter!

*Note: Most events go ahead as planned. Even so, weather or other unforeseen factors occasionally lead to postponements or cancellations. So it's always best to double-check with the organizer (see links below) before you head out.

Special Events & Fun Things to Do
in January 2026

*Note: Most events go ahead as planned. Even so, weather or other unforeseen factors occasionally lead to postponements or cancellations. So it's always best to double-check with the organizer (see links below) before you head out.

Provincetown Polar Bear Plunge

When: January 1, 2026 at noon

Where: Johnson Street Parking Lot Landing, Provincetown, MA

Admission: Entry fee for participants; onlookers - no charge

More Info: Provincetown Polar Bear Plunge

Can you imagine donning your bikini or trunks and running full speed into Cape Cod's winter surf? Yikes! I'm shivering just thinking about it!

For all you adventurous (crazy?!) folks who take the plunge, there'll be cocktails, warm drinks and chili awaiting you at the Harbor Lounge to help bring the color back to your lips. 

This New Year's Day event benefits the Center for Coastal Studies. It's a cool time for a great cause!!

FOYCOA's Annual Polar Plunge

When: January 1, 2026 at noon *Cancelled due to weather*

Where: Smugglers Beach, South Yarmouth MA

Admission: entry fee for participants; no charge to watch

More Info: FOYCOA

Nantucket Sound boasts some of the warmest waters around Cape Cod in the summer months.

How chilly does the surf become in the heart of winter? Here's your chance to find out! ;-)

This is the main fundraiser of the year for Friends of Yarmouth Council on Aging. Come on out and take a dip!

Monument Beach Polar Swim

When: January 1, 2026 at noon

Where: Monument Beach, Bourne, MA

Admission: entry fee to participate; free for spectators

More Info: Monument Beach Polar Club

This annual polar plunge brings members of Monument Beach Polar Club and its supporters together to dive (or wade!) into the waters of Buzzards Bay.

Funds from this event will go toward the Club's goal of raising $25,000+ to benefit Bourne Food Pantry. A worthy cause, to be sure!

Freeze the Day Polar Plunge

When: January 1, 2026 at 11 a.m. *Postponed to March* 

Where: Mashpee Wakeby Pond - Attaquin Park, Mashpee MA

Admission: Entry fee for participants, free to watch

More Info: Freeze the Day Polar Plunge 2026

Hosted by Mashpee Recreation and Naukabout Brewery, the 3rd annual "Freeze the Day" Polar Plunge benefits the Kiwanis Club of Mashpee.

*Note: Day-of registrations and check-in will take place at Naukabout from 10:00 am - 10:45 am.

First Day Hikes

When: January 1, 2026, throughout the day

Where: Various venues around Cape Cod

Admission: Free (pre-registration required for some hikes)

More Info: Barnstable Land Trust

Building on the popularity of the national state park program originally launched in Massachusetts, this unique regional celebration features free special walks, talks, and hikes in communities across Cape Cod.

These events are the perfect opportunity for families, children, residents, and visitors to get outside and explore on the first day of the new year!

Cape Cod Museum of Art Winter Concert Series

When: Sundays in January 2026, 4:00 - 5:00 p.m.

Where: Cape Cod Museum of Art, 60 Hope Lane, Dennis, MA

Admission: Members $18, non-members $24; season tickets also available

More Info: CCMOA Winter Concert Series

Looking for something to do on a Sunday afternoon? Cape Cod Museum of Art has you covered!

CCMOA's Winter Concert Series features performances in many different musical disciplines from Swing to Bluegrass, Jazz, Celtic and Classical.

Epiphany Choral Evensong with Gloriæ Dei Cantores

When: January 3, 2026, 5:15 p.m.

Where: Church of the Transfiguration, Orleans, MA

Admission: Free

More Info: Arts Empowering Life events

Celebrate Epiphany with a special Choral Evensong featuring J. S. Bach's cantata, Sie Werden aus Saba alle Kommen, BWV 65 (All They from Saba Shall Come).

As we enter this New Year, recall the journey of the Magi—led by a star, traveling from the East to bring gifts to the Christ Child.

This is an in-person and live-streamed event. No tickets required.

IRS Burn Ceremony (a/k/a "Re-Rooters Ceremony")

When: January 7, 2026, 4:00 p.m.

Where: East End, Harbor Hotel beach, Provincetown Harbor, Provincetown MA

Admission: Free

More Info: Annual IRS Burn Ceremony

When you saw "IRS" in the name of this event, I'll bet you thought of the IRS we all dread reporting to in April. But this IRS is different.

It's the International Re-Rooters Society, the brainchild of artist Jay Critchley back in 1983.

Each year on January 7th, Critchley and his followers gather at P'town Harbor for (as Critchley describes it): "a purging of political and personal distress from the year gone by. The mission of the IRS is to re-root ourselves to and embrace the earth body and all of our human and non-human relatives."

The ritual of singing, chanting and dancing concludes at sunset, when a recycled Christmas tree is set ablaze on a small boat and sent out into the harbor.

If you're looking for a fun and totally unique way to start the year on a positive note, this is it!!

Between Seasons:Tours at the Museums on the Green

When: January 10, 2026, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Where: Museums on the Green, 55 & 65 Palmer Avenue, Falmouth MA

More Info: Falmouth Museums on the Green

Discover Falmouth’s historic homes and gardens in the calm of the off-season.

Step into Falmouth’s historic homes during the quieter months with Between the Seasons, the off-season tour series at the Museums on the Green.

Enjoy an intimate, guided exploration of the Wicks House, Conant House, and Cultural Center American Revolution exhibition in a peaceful setting. Hear the stories of the families who lived here, and enjoy a more intimate look at beautifully the preserved spaces without the summer crowds.

Outermost Contra Dance

When: January 16, 2026; doors open at 6:15 p.m., Contra Basics workshop at 6:30 p.m.; dance begins at 7:00 p.m.

Where: Wellfleet Preservation Hall, 335 Main Street, Wellfleet, MA

Admission: $15 general admission; $10 for those age 20 and under; $5 with student ID

More Info: Outermost Contra Dance

Put on your dancin' shoes for this fun event at Preservation Hall!

Contra dancing is the older cousin to the square dance. No fancy footwork is needed – if you can walk, you can contra dance!

All the dances are taught and called. If you're new to contra dance, be sure to get in on the early dances to learn the basic moves. (No need to bring a partner; there are plenty of friendly people in this welcoming dance community.)

Come to dance or come just to watch and listen to the music. All are welcome!

Jane Austen Tea & Tour

When: January 15, 2026, 1 p.m. - 4 p.m.

Where: Museums on the Green, 55-65 Palmer Avenue, Falmouth MA

Admission:  $65 non-member/$30 Museums on the Green members, and $20 children (suggested best for ages 12+)

More Info: Jane Austen Tea & Tour

Celebrate Jane Austen’s 250th anniversary with a themed tea and guided tour of the 1790 Francis Wicks House.

Learn how life in early Falmouth mirrored the social dramas, courtships, and family struggles found in Austen’s novels. The program explores local history, fashion, and daily life — with a few surprising parallels to Pride and Prejudice–style predicaments. Also enjoy tea and Austen trivia at the cultural center. 

Bonnets and gloves are welcome, but not required!

*Note: Pre-registration required. Limited spaces available.

SGM Glass Fusing Create Class

When: January 16, 2026, 10:00 a.m. to noon

Where: Sandwich Glass Museum, 129 Main Street, Sandwich MA

Registration fee: $20.00 (added cost of project materials varies from $40-$46) 

More Info: SGM Glass Fusing Class

Head to Sandwich Glass Museum for a fun and educational experience that celebrates the timeless beauty of glass art!

You'll explore the vibrant world of color and texture as you learn essential techniques for cutting, layering, and fusing glass. By the end of the class, you’ll have made a unique artwork of your choice; either a set of 2 pendants, a sun-catcher, a nightlight, or a coaster.

*FYI: There's up to a one-week delay in pick-up time because of the kiln firing. SGM will ship your finished project pieces to you if you're unable to pick them up yourself.

This program is for ages 8 and up. Because you'll be breaking glass with pliers and working with glass fragments, kids between 8 and 13 be accompanied and supervised by an older responsible person.

Ranting Parents Comedy Tour

When: January 22, 2026, 7:00 p.m.

Where: Chatham Orpheum Theater, 637 Main Street, Chatham MA

Tickets: adults $25 online in advance or $29 (cash only) at the door.

More Info: Ranting Parent Comedy Tour

We love our children, who were put here to torture us. In a night of stand-up and more, three hilarious Boston comedians share their best, worst, and weirdest moments as parents. They also share terrible parenting advice.

Join Paul Nardizzi (NBC, Comedy Central, SiriusXM, etc.), Dave Rattigan (SiriusXM, NESN), and Cape Cod's favorite comedian Jim Ruberti for 90 minutes of great stand-up comedy and more.

*Note: The show is not suitable for children.

Cape & Islands Orchid Show

When: January 24th from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and January 25th from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Where: Emerald Resort & Hyport Conference Center, 35 Scudder Avenue, Hyannis

Admission:  $10/adult; $5/child (under 12); 2-day pass $15

More Info:  Cape & Islands Orchid Society

Imagine being surrounded by thousands of colorful orchids in full bloom. What better way to brighten up a winter day?!

The Cape & Islands Orchid Society's show features vendors from near and far with displays that'll have you dreaming of a greenhouse of your own!

Winter Film Series at Salt Pond

When: January 25, 2026, 1 p.m. (*Postponed to Feb. 1st)

Where: Cape Cod National Seashore's Salt Pond Visitors Center, 50 Nauset Road, Eastham, MA

Admission: Free

More Info: Winter Film Series

Looking for something to do on a chilly Sunday afternoon?

Head to Salt Pond Visitors Center in Eastham for the Friends of the Cape Cod National Seashore's popular Winter Film Series that takes place on Sundays from January 25th to March 1st. 

There's plenty of free parking available, and the film series  event is free to attend, too.

Boat Builders Show on Cape Cod

When: January 30 - February 1, 2026; Friday from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m., Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Where: Hyport Conference Center, 35 Scudder Avenue, Hyannis, MA 

Admission: $10 per person, 12 and under FREE

More Info: Boat Builders Show

For avid boaters, this is one of the first Cape Cod events of the year to remind us that boating season will be here before we know it. 

Are you in the market for a new boat? Or maybe you'd just like to ogle some of the most beautiful watercraft you've ever seen?

You won't want to miss this year's Boat Builders' Show in Hyannis where talented, independent boat builders showcase their custom and limited-production fiberglass and wooden sail and powerboats.

No wonder this show is considered "The Best Independent Boat Builders Show in the Northeast"!

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Important Note: The date, time, place, admission charges, etc. of the events on this page may be changed by the event sponsor at any time, without my knowledge. Please be sure to confirm all information directly with the sponsor before you make any plans!