You won’t want to miss the Eastham Public Library’s A Taste of Turnip Day. Who knew turnips could be so tasty? You’ll discover a wide array of turnip 
recipe choices!
Every year, Eastham, MA comes alive with the Eastham Turnip Festival. The big event brings in local Cape Codders and tourists who want to learn about the amazing root vegetable loved by locals. The event features cooking (all focused on turnips), music, contests, and games.
Eastham takes immense pride in their turnips which are known to be large and white with a lovely purple crown upon maturity. The turnips have a sweet flavor that clearly denotes the vegetable Eastham breeding and heritage. The heirloom vegetable has been cultivated for over 100 years in the area. In the early days, local Art Nickerson made the turnip famous by shipping them all the way north to Alaska and south to Florida. He was once the only supplier of Eastham turnip seeds.
Mark Your Calendars – Eastham Turnip Festival Nov. 19th
Join turnip lovers on Saturday, November 19th to celebrate the turnip. The event will draw 30 plus local food establishments that will all serve turnip-based delicacies such as turnip ice cream, soups, entrees, and sides.
Restaurants scheduled to attend the event include:
Abroad |89 Old Colony Way | Orleans, Ma
The Alley BBQ | 191 MA-6A | Orleans, Ma
Barley Neck Inn | 5 Beach Road | Orleans, Ma
Basco Grill | 4205 US-6 | Eastham, Ma
The Beacon Room | 23 West Road | Orleans, Ma
The Block & Tackle | 545 US-6 | Wellfleet, Ma
Brickhouse | 4940 Mid-Cape Highway | Eastham, Ma
Brine | 100 State Highway | Eastham, Ma
C Shore Kitchen & Bar |554 State Highway, Route 6 | Wellfleet, Ma
Cape Sea Grille |31 Sea Street |Harwich Port, Ma
Casa del Cabo | Main Street Mercantile | 3 Main Street #32B | Eastham, Ma
Cibo |15 Cove Road | Orleans, Ma
Fairway Restaurant & Pizzeria | 4295 US-6 | Eastham, Ma
Friends’ Marketplace | 57 Main St | Orleans, Ma
Hole in One Bakery | 4295 US-6 | Eastham, Ma
Hole in One Restaurant 98 Cranberry Highway, MA-6A | Orleans, Ma
Local Break | 4550 State Highway | Eastham, Ma
The Local Scoop | 34 MA-6A | Orleans, Ma
Mac’s Market & Kitchen | 4680 State Highway | Eastham, Ma
Mahoney’s Atlantic Bar & Grill | 26 Main Street | Orleans, Ma
The Optimal Kitchen |Orleans Farmers Market |19 Old Colony Way | Orleans, Ma
The Rail | 222 Main St | Orleans, Ma
Rock Harbor Grill | 18 Ole Colony Way | Orleans, Ma
Sam’s Deli | 100 Brackett Road | Eastham, Ma
Sunbird | 85 MA-6A | Orleans, Ma
Whisk | 210 Main Street |Orleans, Ma
10 Yen | 56 Main St | Orleans, Ma
Each one of the above establishments will create a turnip-focused dish. It might be a soup, entree, side dish, or dessert. The goal is to highlight the versatility of the root vegetable. The Eastham Turnip Festival will hold numerous live festivities that are fun for young and old alike. This year, Cathy Hatch and the Cape Cod Ukulele Club will share bluegrass tunes that focus on turnips. You can dance and sing along.
Don’t miss the Blessing of the Turnips which is set to be conducted by WGBH radio host Bob Seay.
Other live performances at the event include:
- A classic juggling act by Trevor the Juggler.
- Jo Ann Whittemore offers temporary turnip tattoos and henna body art.
- A magic show and balloons by Jungle Jim’s Balloon & Magic Show.
- Fun Clowns n Company will provide amusing balloon hats.
- Nicole Pierce will artistically conduct face painting.
- Guess the weight of the turnip contest
- Mr. and Ms. Turnip will be posing for photos.
- Turnip crafts
- Turnip games
- Enjoy the StoryWalk® with Jan Brett’s the Turnip.
You can even shop for turnip merchandise such as tee shirts, cookbooks, hats, magnets, notecards, crafts, and more.
Local author Kathryn Kleekamp will be onsite to provide a book signing of her book, “Celebrating Cape Cod & the Islands: Traditions, Festivals, and Food.” Ms. Kleekamp even showcased the Eastham Turnip Festival in one of her book’s chapters!
Mark your calendars to attend the Eastham Turnip Festival – November 19th.
