Boston Gay Men’s Chorus Will Sing at Provincetown 400 Memorial Event

Provincetown 400 has announced that the Boston Gay Men’s Chorus has been added to the program of events in September 2020, to commemorate the 400th anniversary of the Mayflower Pilgrims first landing in the new world in Provincetown in 1620.

 On September 13, 2020, the Boston Gay Men’s Chorus, featuring up to 200 members, will arrive in Provincetown via ferry and will perform three selections that reflect the occasion during a ceremony to honor the Mayflower Pilgrims. An estimated 2,000 members of the General Society of Mayflower Descendants will attend a ceremony in Provincetown Harbor where they will lay a wreath in the Harbor to honor their ancestors. There will be a re-enactment of the signing of the Mayflower Compact, followed by a “Pilgrims Procession” by the GSMD, escorted by members of King Hiram’s Lodge of the Provincetown Masons and the New Plimmoth Gard who will march from Provincetown Harbor to the Pilgrim Monument where they will have lunch. 

 “We’re honored to participate in marking the historic arrival in Provincetown of the Pilgrims, who were seeking the freedom to worship and live as they chose, and to honor the Native People who were already here,” said Craig Coogan, executive director of Boston Gay Men’s Chorus. “Provincetown has long been a beacon of freedom for our community and we look forward to celebrating its unique place in history.”

 It was in Provincetown Harbor where the Pilgrims signed the Mayflower Compact, the first governing document of colonial America. The ceremony will take place near the Mayflower II replica, which will be berthed in Provincetown Harbor from September 10-14.

 Provincetown 400 is overseen by the Pilgrim Monument and Provincetown Museum, led by co-chairs Dr. K. David Weidner, PMPM Executive Director, and Lori Meads, President and CEO of Seamen’s Bank.

 “The musical performance by the Boston Gay Men’s Chorus will add a dynamic element to the commemorative event.  Having the Chorus serve as the anchor for our program will lift everyone’s spirits as we pay tribute to the Mayflower Pilgrims and to the native Wampanoag people who were here before them,” said Dr. Weidner. “We are looking forward to welcoming over 500,000 new visitors who will travel during 2020 to Provincetown for the 400th commemoration.”

2020  Provincetown 400 Timeline of Events:

April 24:  Provincetown 400 kickoff event in coordination with Plymouth 400 launch.

June – August:  Mayflower Compact re-enactments and historic talks at the Pilgrim Monument and Provincetown Museum.

September 10 – 14:  Mayflower Descendants Weekend (General Society of Mayflower Descendants-GSMD): Mayflower II in Provincetown Harbor featuring additional Mayflower Compact re-enactments (Ticketed event); September 12  Gala event at the PMPM (Ticketed event); September 13  GSMD Memorial wreath laying in the harbor, a re-enactment of the signing of the Mayflower Compact, followed by a march to the Monument and lunch with 2,000 GSMD members, patriotic songs by the Boston Gay Men’s Chorus; September 14  Sunrise farewell to the Mayflower II as she sets sail for her return home to Plymouth, Mass.;

November 11: Date when the Pilgrims landed in Provincetown and the 2020 Annual Lighting of the Pilgrim Monument with a spectacular fireworks display synchronized to music.

Provincetown 400 was established to guide the town’s commemoration activities in recognition of the 400th anniversary of the arrival of the Mayflower Pilgrims, the signing of the Mayflower Compact, and to also share the story about the native peoples living here long before the Pilgrims landed. The Provincetown 400 Task Force is a committee of the board of the Pilgrim Monument and Provincetown Museum and includes members of the community who have been meeting regularly since early 2018. The Task Force Co-Chairs are Dr. K. David Weidner, Executive Director of the PMPM and Lori Meads, President and CEO, Seamen’s Bank.