This week in Provincetown is called "Fantasia week" or something- it's one the more humorous "theme" weeks that lay claim to most of the calendar every summer here. It's not quite as hilarious as "Bear Week" (a perennial favorite for gawking and giggling with almost every girlfriend I've ever had here), not as dreaded and fear-inspiring as "Women's Week" (hundreds of pairs of matching "washer and dryer set" lesbians roaming around, mullets and visors in tow, eating, drinking and not tipping), crazy as "Carnival week", retarded as "Circuit Boy week" (don't ask), harrowing as "Baby Dyke week", strange as "Family Week", or as forgettable as the many other weeks I can't remember.
During this week you begin to see groups of frumpy secretaries, doughty spinsters, you may even catch glimpse of your grandma circa 1986 hanging out. On closer inspection, though, you will notice they wear cheap, unconvincing wigs and sport 5 o' clock shadow under their make-up. They are referred to as "Tall Ships" by the locals, and this is their week.
Fantasia is the festival for cross-dressers, men who wear women's clothing, and some transsexuals, but not drag queens. These guys appear to have a far greater disdain for fashion, appearing convincingly like a woman, or even appearing attractive. They make Tom Hanks and Peter Scolari in Bosom Buddieslook like stylish, put-together foxes. By today's standards. They look like they just raided the Goodwill for the most hideous clothes possible. Not surprisingly, (based on their fashion sense) many of these guys are straight and come with their wives and families. Here's the extremely cheesy and unconvincing Official site for more information. Note the very boring photos of empty streets, the slogan "Not Your Father's Fantasia Fair!" (???), and the link at the bottom that says WOW! BOOKMARK THIS PAGE!- thats what these dudes call FLAIR!

(Although not all of them seem out of place in P-town. The other night I was DJing a party in town at and these surprisingly young and stylish {think pleather and platform boots} tallships came in. After a while one came up and in a British accent said "Do you have any deep, dark, dirty House?"
I was like, "No." And they left.
Those guys would fit right in here.)