Signs the Recession Has Hit Wellfleet ...

The numbers for Oysterfest are out: Saturday 8000 people attended but only 2000 hardcore revelers came Sunday, in the pouring rain. Revenues were down sharply compared to other recent years when 20000 party-goers spent the third weekend of October in Wellfleet. This change was, of course, due to the weather, but I think the recession also played a role, as did bridge repair, which, I know, would have discouraged me. (On a high note, 75% of the oyster shells were recycled, 15% more than last year. The green-minded organizers also recycled one dumpster of garbage.)

In the past, I have reported that the recession had not reared its head in Wellfleet, home to so many retirees. No longer true! Sam Cooks is going out of business. Sam cooked so summer vacationers could do other things. The folks at Wellfleet Marketplace followed suit, offering easy take-out "home-cooked" meals, in a market where recession left little wiggle room. Either people ate in restaurants or preferred to cook for themselves. Everyone still bought ice cream though, a seemingly recession-proof business!

Finally, judging from the fact that our cottage is empty this weekend and not one person called or emailed to inquire about availability, either people have gotten much better at reading the availability calendar or the idea of a weekend in Wellfleet, the last balmy weekend of the year, has lost its appeal. The MA rate of unemployment has reached 10% and most of our winter guests come from Massachusetts …