Who makes the best sandwich in Sandwich, MA? Come find out at SandwichFest on October 1st, from 10:00am – 4:00pm. Culinary experts and sandwich aficionados will compete for the coveted trophy. A panel of local experts will name a winner, and because this is small-town America and we take democracy seriously, there will be a People’s Choice Award for the best sandwich too.
SandwichFest is an annual fall festival celebrating, you guessed it, Sandwich, MA. Admission is FREE to SandwichFest, held on Water Street (Route 130), stretching from Town Hall Square to the Wing School. Over 100 arts & crafts vendors and non-profit organizations participate in this event highlighting Sandwich’s rich culture and history. This year, a food pavilion will feature local restaurants and food trucks, and a beer and wine pavilion will serve adult beverages to pair with your favorite cuisine.
Why Celebrate Sandwich?
Sandwich is Cape Cod’s oldest town. Inhabited by Native Americans for thousands of years before European settlers arrived, including the Eastern Algonquin-speaking Wampanoag, it was incorporated in 1637 by a group from Saugus, MA, with permission from the Plymouth Bay Colony. Sandwich was named for the village of Sandwich, Kent, England, another bucolic seaside community.
Sandwich was the site of an early Quaker settlement and today hosts the oldest continuous Quaker Meeting in the United States. During the industrial revolution, Sandwich’s wealth of timber to fuel glass furnaces and proximity to a shallow harbor and future canal site made it the heart of the glassmaking industry and home to the Sandwich and Boston glass factory known for its creative use of color. Visitors to Sandwich can tour the Sandwich Glass Museum.
Other Sandwich attractions include the Heritage Museum and Gardens with its renowned antique auto exhibit and world-class gardens that captivate visitors year-round. The Green Briar Nature Center and Thorton Burgess Museum pay tribute to the beloved conservationist and children’s book author’s Sandwich roots. Antique lovers will find dozens of antique stores and rare bookstores, along with the oldest house (Hoxie House) and oldest gristmill (Dexter Gristmill) on Cape Cod. Sandwich is also home to the Cape Cod Canal Visitor’s Center, offering information about the history of the canal and the complexities around its operation.
SandwichFest – A Fun and Festive Tradition for All Ages
SandwichFest is the perfect combination of small-town history, great food, kitschy fun, local artisans, and beloved annual traditions that make Cape Cod fall festivals so popular. Bring your appetite, your camera, and your dog (in costume for the parade) to downtown Sandwich for an afternoon of coastal New England charm at its best.
