Plimoth Patuxet Museums to Celebrate Strawberry Thanksgiving
Annual Event Highlights Wampanoag Seasonal Traditions, Culture, and Community
Plymouth, Massachusetts (June 11, 2026) –Plimoth Patuxet Museums invites guests of all ages to celebrate Strawberry Thanksgiving on Saturday, June 20, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Historic Patuxet Homesite.
Wuttáhimneash, the Wampanoag word for “strawberry”, is recognized as the first berry of the season. For Indigenous communities throughout the Northeast, the ripening of strawberries has long marked the approach of the summer solstice and a season of gathering with family and community. Strawberry Thanksgiving remains part of these longstanding traditions, offering a time to gather, give thanks, and honor the resilience, continuity, and living identity of Native People.
“Strawberry Thanksgiving is an opportunity for guests to learn about the significance of seasonal cycles in Wampanoag culture and to engage with traditions that continue to thrive today,” said Malissa Costa (Mashpee Wampanoag), Associate Director of Indigenous Outreach and Guest Experience. “We are honored to share this celebration with the community and visitors from across the region.”
Throughout the day, guests will experience special educational programming, live demonstrations, and cultural presentations centered on Wampanoag seasonal traditions and community practices.
Visitors to this annual event can explore Indigenous foodways during “Foodways of the First People,” a traditional cooking demonstration highlighting Native ingredients, seasonal harvesting, and historical lifeways. Guests will also experience traditional music, storytelling, and artistic traditions.
Additional activities include archery, corn husk doll making, and the burning of a mishoon, a traditional dugout canoe (weather permitting). These experiences offer opportunities for hands-on learning while fostering a deeper understanding of the enduring traditions and cultural heritage of the Wampanoag People.
“We welcome everyone to join us each year at Strawberry Thanksgiving to deepen their understanding of Wampanoag history and the traditions that have shaped this place for generations,” said Executive Director Tom Begley.
Access to all Strawberry Thanksgiving activities is included with general admission to Plimoth Patuxet.
Plimoth Patuxet Museums is open seven days a week, 9 am - 5 pm, now through the Sunday following Thanksgiving Day.
About Plimoth Patuxet
Plimoth Patuxet is one of the Nation’s foremost living history museums. Founded in 1947, the Museum creates engaging experiences of history built on thorough research about the Indigenous and European people who met along Massachusetts' historic shores in the 1600s. Major exhibits include the Historic Patuxet Homesite, the 17th-Century English Village, Mayflower II, and Plimoth Grist Mill. A private, 501(c)(3) not-for-profit educational institution, Plimoth Patuxet is supported by admission fees, donations, memberships, and revenue from educational programs, gift shops and dining. Plimoth Patuxet receives support from private foundations, corporations, and local businesses. Located less than an hour’s drive south of Boston, and 15 minutes north of Cape Cod, the Museum is open daily from early spring through the Sunday after Thanksgiving. For more information, visit plimoth.org. Follow the Museum on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, and X/Twitter.