Family Week Frequently Asked Questions

What is Family Week?

Family Week 2008 will be in its 13^th year and was the outcome of an idea of two amazing gay dads, Tim Fisher and Scott Davenport. For one week during the past 12 summers, LGBTQ parents, their children, extended families, prospective parents and allies have gathered in Provincetown, MA to celebrate all families, build community and become empowered to make change. There are educational workshops, social gatherings, meals, children’s programming and much more for all ages.

When is Family Week being held this year?

Family Week 2008 is being held from Saturday, July 26^th through Saturday, August 2^nd.  This is a change of what was announced at Family Week 2007.

Originally we had planned to have Family Week during the first week of August, as we often have in the past, but the Town of Provincetown , Office of Tourism and Chamber of Commerce strongly encouraged us to change the dates because the Pan Massachusetts Challenge is scheduled during that week. 

The Pan Mass Challenge is a two day bike ride for cancer research from Wellesley to Provincetown with over 5,000 riders and thousands of families and supporters and the ride ends in Provincetown on August 3^rd.  We understood the strain that having thousands of people from the Pan Mass Challenge combined with hundreds of our families in town reserving rooms, eating out and using other spaces for events can put on a small town. We agreed to push our week’s activities back, so there is little to no overlap for the Town in the hopes that everyone who plans to attend Family Week will be able to secure accommodations and enjoy their stay. 

The Town’s Chamber of Commerce has sent letters to all the hotels and inn keepers to explain the date change and encourage them to be flexible and accommodating for our families.

In addition, we will be communicating with all of our families about the change in date.

I am booking plane tickets, etc. How soon do events start on the 26^th and how late do they run on the 2^nd?

Although this year’s schedule has not been finalized, here is what the first and last days of Family Week have looked like in the past: Registration traditionally begins Saturday at 2 pm and ends at 5 pm. Social events on the first Saturday typically begin around dinner time (5pm or so) and the last events occur on Friday evening.

Where do the events take place?

Almost all of the events take place on or around the center of town or at the Herring Cove Beach . Educational plenaries and workshops will take place at the Crown & Anchor, Little Gatherings take place at Bas Relief Park and Children’s Programming will take place at Provincetown High School .  For a map of Provincetown visit www.ptownchamber.org.

Do you have any recommendations on where my family and I should stay?

The Provincetown Chamber of Commerce website has a listing of Campsites, Hotels, Guesthouses, Cottages and more in and around Provincetown . Visit www.ptownchamber.org to find a place that is right for you and your family. Please note that Family Equality Council has no part in providing or finding accommodations for guests coming to Family Week. Also, try to book early as many places fill up fast.

Are there low-cost options for lodging in Provincetown?

Many families have opted to camp in and around Provincetown during Family Week. Click here for some nearby campsites that have camping spots available.

Is there any cost for Family Week?

We have implemented an activities fee of $150 to help defray a small portion of the costs for programs, staff time and space rental. Additional costs for group meals are optional.

Can I register onsite when we get there instead of online?

It is possible to register onsite at Family Week once your family arrives: Saturday, 7/26 from 2:00pm-5:00pm or Sunday, 7/27 from 9:00am-1:00pm at Crown & Anchor. But we strongly encourage folks to register online for two reasons: 1. Registering online helps Family Equality Council to more accurately prepare the volume of resources needed for all the families. 2. It's less expensive to register online.

If the online registration is not working for you, call our office at (617) 502-8700.

Who comes to Family Week? (My partner and) I don’t have kids, are we welcome?

Everyone is welcome to attend Family Week, no matter if you have children or not or what age those children are. LGBTQ-parented families of all sizes, with children of all ages attend family week, as do their extended families, heterosexual families, prospective parents and LGBTQ or non-LGBTQ couples and singles.

I have children who will be attending COLAGE programming. Where can I register them?

Visit http://www.colage.org/programs/events/ptown.htm for more information or contact Meredith Fenton at meredith@colage.org.

If you would like to register your children ages 9 & up for COLAGE youth programming, visit: https://www.acteva.com/go/colage.

How do I sign up for more information or to be kept in the loop?

Make sure to sign up for our eNewsletter to receive all the information about Family Week that is yet to come. Click here.

Who do I contact if I have further questions?

Visit website, http://www.familyequality.org first, in case your question(s) are answered there.

Any further questions regarding adult programming and workshops can be sent to info@familyequality.org.