It’s Almost Bloomin’ Time: Brewster In Bloom Set For May 3-5

BREWSTER – Drive down Main Street, and you’ll find that the daffodils aren’t waiting for the annual Brewster in Bloom festival. But Brewster’s signature annual event is certainly worth waiting for, with music, arts and crafts and a big parade, all set to take place on the weekend of May 3 to 5.

“This is the 38th year that Brewster in Bloom is taking place, so it certainly seems like it's the signature event for Brewster,” Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Kyle Hinkle said. Summer may begin in earnest around Independence Day, and early birds start things around Memorial Day. But the earliest early birds wait for Brewster in Bloom, she said.

“There are people who plan their spring visit to start opening their summer house around the event. Others come now, rather than during the months of June through August because it's not quite so busy with visitors. The event was started to wake people up after the cold, gray winter and shake off the doldrums.” Hinkle said.

On Friday, the Brewster Band will hold its 30th annual Brewster in Bloom concert at the Brewster Baptist Church at 7 p.m. From Broadway show tunes and American Songbook standards to classical pieces, the concert is sure to impress. Admission is free but donations will be accepted to support the band’s programs. Friday also features special events at various Brewster merchants, and the ever-popular Ice Cream Social hosted by the Friends of Brewster Seniors at the council on aging on Main Street.

On Saturday, lace up for the annual Bloom Run, a 5K, 3.1 mile-run/walk. There is a $40 entry fee, or $25 for kids 12 and under. The race happens rain or shine.

From 1 to 4 p.m., the Brewster Historical Society is hosting an open house at the Cobb House Museum on Lower Road, with a glimpse of this season’s new exhibit, “Letters from the Front: Brewster in the Military.” The historical society is also hosting an open house at the 1795 Higgins Farm Windmill at Drummer Boy Park, with guided tours and a blacksmith demonstration from noon to 3 p.m.

For many Brewster in Bloom fans, the annual Juried Fine Arts and Crafts Show is a not-to-be-missed event. The show is back at the old Cape Cod Sea Camps property this year, Hinkle said.

“This means we have more parking for shoppers, and more space for artists. And there are 87 artists registered so we're full,” she said. This year, organizers are asking for a donation of $5 per vehicle for parking, which will go toward the Elder Brewster Scholarship Fund and to help offset the rising costs associated with the show, Hinkle said. People can pay on the spot with cash or Venmo. The show happens Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday from 10 to 4.

It wouldn’t be Brewster in Bloom without the annual parade, which steps off Sunday at 1 p.m. from Eddy Elementary School. Floats, bands, fire trucks and other entries will make their way west along Main Street to Swamp Road. It’s a rollicking way to mark the end of Brewster in Bloom.

Even if some of the final details come together at the last minute, the three-day celebration is a benefit to the many chamber members who take part.

“The businesses do find this useful for kicking off the spring shoulder season,” Hinkle said.

Printed brochures are available around town, but for an updated list of Brewster in Bloom activities, click here: https://brewster-capecod.com/brewster-events/brewster-in-bloom/.