Frequently Asked Questions
About Fantasia Fair
Q: What is Fantasia Fair?
A: FanFair is a week-long transgender event held every October in the GLBT resort town of Provincetown on the very tip of beautiful Cape Cod. Running continuously since 1974, the Fair is a “full immersion” experience, meaning that attendees can and usually do spend an entire week living 24/7 in their chosen gender.
Q: Why Fantasia Fair? Why not some other gender event?
A: There are some wonderful events held throughout the world, but only the Fair lasts a week, and only the Fair gives its attendees a whole town in which to be themselves. The Fair doesn’t take place in a big hotel, but rather in many small venues throughout P'town. Provincetown is a walking town, meaning much time is spent out on the streets, going from location to location, shopping, dining, and socializing. There’s nothing else like it; just ask any past attendee.
Q: Why Provincetown? And why October?
A: Over 30 years ago, when planners were putting together the first Fair, there were few places that could be considered safe. Even then, P'town was a friendly place, tolerant of difference, a safe haven, and one in which it was possible to be out and about with little chance of being recognized. Today, Provincetown is even friendlier. While it’s now possible to have a gender event in almost any city, only Provincetown gives its attendees a sprawling, friendly place with hundreds of inns, restaurants, pubs, shops and galleries, and the ocean, the dunes, and the beach. P'town is still a great place to come. Tens of thousands of tourists fill the town in the summer—which brings up the second half of the question? Why October? Why indeed! October brings lower prices. The town is less crowded, and it’s easier to get reservations. October is also a cool time on Cape Cod, good for the well-being of the attendees. Fair attendees have always been predominantly MTF, and makeup stays on better in the cool Fall than in the warm summer. ‘Nuff said!
Q: Is there much for couples?
A: There's tons for couples. We have workshops dedicated to T-folk and their SOs, as well as a number of groups specifically for partners of T-folk. These groups provide opportunities for couples to discuss issues, problems, stresses, and even joys that they have in common. The partner's private sessions allow those married to CDs or TSs to share, compare and support. We find some of the best available experts to assist in facilitating the sessions.
Of course, the entire Fair offers a multitude of opportunities for partners. There are the lunches, dinners, and shows. SOs are welcome to be in the Follies, and can participate in many other ways as well. And don't forget all the sightseeing and shopping P'Town offers. Look at our Couples page for more information.
Q: What about FTMs?
A: We have some FTM participation, although certainly not as much as we would like. P'town offers FTMs a lot, and the Fair provides FTM programming. We’ve built it; we hope they will come.
Q: Besides the Fair events, what’s there to do in Provincetown?
A: The shopping is fabulous. So are the restaurants. There are dozens of
galleries with paintings, sculpture, glass art, and any number of museums.
You can go whale watching or take a dunes tour. You can take the trolley
tour of Provincetown or ride a bicycle along the paved paths of the national
seashore. You can dance until late at night at the A-House, then go to Spiritus
for a pizza. You can browse for antiques, look through the large collection
of out-of-print volumes at Tim’s Books, take advantage of end-of-season
closeouts in the clothing boutiques, or get an early morning breakfast at
the Portuguese Bakery, a bowl of kale soup at the Governor Bradford, or
have a two-pounder at the Lobster Pot. You can sit on the benches in front
of the Town Hall and watch the colorful parade of passers-by, or drop by
Adam’s Pharmacy to buy an umbrella and chat with the townies. You
can get away from it all and walk over the breakwater to Long’s point.
You can take in a drag show, or listen to a lesbian comic. There’s
no end of things to do in P'town.
Q: How do I get to Provincetown?
A: If you’re driving, just get on the Cape and drive as far as you can. When you reach Provincetown (last stop before England), find a place to park and look for the Fair office. Early plans are to locate it at the Crown & Anchor.
If you’re flying, you can rent a car at Boston or take Cape Air directly to Provincetown. Remember the TV show “Wings?” It was modeled on Cape Air, which flies to Nantucket, Martha’s Vineyard, Hyannis, and Provincetown. If you like small planes, you’ll love the short twenty-minute hop from Boston’s Logan Airport to the P'town airport.
If you would prefer, you can rent a car at Logan or in Providence, RI and drive to Provincetown,—but you’ll probably use your car very little during the Fair.
You can also catch a bus from Boston. A ferry runs from Boston to Provincetown, but alas, the season inevitably ends by the time the Fair begins.
Q: What should I bring?
A: Above all, bring comfortable shoes, for you’ll be doing a lot of walking. High heels aren’t practical when you have to get from one end of town to the other in 15 minutes. Pack for cool weather. You’ll need sweaters and a coat and scarf. Bring an umbrella, for Nor’westers are common in the Fall.
You’ll need a couple of fancy outfits for the evening events, and more casual clothes for daytime. You’ll want to bring some slacks to keep your legs warm in windy weather. Bring plenty of film or memory for your digital camera, and stock up on toiletries for prices are expensive on the Cape. If you drink, you might want to bring a bottle or two of liquor, for the same reason.
Q: This is my first time out. I’m rather frightened.
A: That’s a normal reaction. The shy Alice of Day 1 is often the social butterfly of Day 7. The Fair has a tendency to bring people out. Provincetown is a safe environment. Once you realize there’s no need to fear, you’ll find yourself blossoming. The Fair Director remembers riding Cape Air to P'town several years ago with a shy British cross dresser. Four days later said Director was walking on Commercial Street late at night and had to move aside to let a crowd of rowdy lesbians pass, linked arm in arm. Guess who one of the rowdy lesbians was? Right. The shy cross dresser.
Q: What about my significant other? Will there be things for her to do?
A: Few SOs would be bored in Provincetown. Aside from the Fair, there are tons of things to do—but the Fair provides special social activities for spouses and partners. There are intensive workshops for couples who want to work on their relationships.
Q: I’ve heard the Fair is an event for rich cross dressers.
A: We certainly have our share of rich cross dressers. But we also have poor cross dressers, middle-of-the road cross dressers, and transgenderists, pre-op transsexuals, post-op transsexuals, and drag queens, both rich and otherwise—and let’s not forget the many significant others who come to the Fair with their spouses. While historically, the typical Fair attendee was indeed a rich cross dresser, nowadays the Fair is a diverse event, both in terms of socioeconomic levels and in gender expression. There are about as many transgenderists and transsexuals as cross dressers. And nowadays we even offer scholarships to T folk who cannot make the price.
Q: Okay, the big question: Why is the Fair so expensive?
A: And now for the big answer: The Fair is no longer an expensive event. Remember, it’s a week long. You can attend either the second half or first half of the event for a very modest amount, no more than any other 3-day gender convention—and the Fair will definitely feed you better and more often. The early bird price for the full Fair—seven days, welcoming buffet, Monday night dinner, Pioneer dinner, six lunches, Fashion Show, the fabulous Follies, the banquet, seminars and classes, farewell brunch, and all Provincetown at your feet, is only $550 $350 for spouse) before January 1, and $600 ($400 for spouse) until October 1. That’s a remarkably low price, and almost one half of what it was ten years ago.
