October calendar
Cape Ann dog calendar: October (October 1 reopenings, Singing Beach on the 15th, HarvestFest)
October gives Cape Ann dogs everything back at once: the Gloucester sand, Crane Beach, Singing Beach two weeks later, and cool mornings that suit a double coat. Here is the reopening order and the fall hazards.
Beaches this month
Beaches this month: the 1st opens Gloucester and Crane, the 15th opens Singing Beach
On October 1 Gloucester's dog season begins: Good Harbor on even-numbered dates, Wingaersheek on odd-numbered dates, Plum Cove and Cressy on any date, through April 30. Crane Beach in Ipswich opens to leashed dogs the same day and runs to March 31. Singing Beach in Manchester-by-the-Sea opens on October 15 to licensed, vaccinated dogs, two per person, with a walk-on fee.
Rockport's beaches have been open since September 16 and Essex since September 1, so by mid-October every beach in the region takes a dog. The first weeks are busy; a dog who has not seen sand since spring needs a leash until the recall is proven again.
- October 1: Gloucester beaches and Crane Beach
- October 15: Singing Beach, license and vaccinations required
- Even date Good Harbor, odd date Wingaersheek, all season
Rules and deadlines
Rules and deadlines: relearn the date, carry the tag
The rule to relearn in October is the date. Gloucester splits its two big beaches by odd and even days so both are never full of dogs at once; a dog at Good Harbor on the 3rd is in the wrong place. Singing Beach staff check for a license and vaccinations while on duty, and Manchester's license runs April 1 to March 31.
No license fees fall due in October in any of the four towns, at the time of writing. The plover fencing has come down, but Gloucester's leash ordinances still apply in the lots and on the footbridge at Good Harbor, and what your dog leaves on the sand leaves with you.
- 01
Check the date before choosing Good Harbor or Wingaersheek
- 02
Put the license tag on the collar for Singing Beach
- 03
Book the post-beach bath and Shed Release
- 04
Reserve Thanksgiving and holiday suites now
Weather and hazards
Weather and hazards: fall ticks, cooling water and the first storm watch
Fall is the second tick peak. Adult deer ticks are active on any day above freezing, and the tall grass behind the dunes at Wingaersheek and the trail edges at Ravenswood are where they wait, so the after-walk check continues through November. The CDC's tick pages cover removal.
The water is still warm enough to swim in early October and cold enough by the end to matter for a small or old dog; towel and dry before the car. The first nor'easter watch usually comes in late October, when a storm tide reshapes the beach and closes lots.
- Tick check after every dune walk
- Dry the dog before the drive home
- Check the forecast for a storm tide before a beach day
At Dogtown this month
Events and at Dogtown this month: HarvestFest, the fall coat and the holiday calendar
Rockport's HarvestFest brings chowder, crafts and crowds to Bearskin Neck in the fall; the town posts the date each year. It is a walkable event for a calm dog on a short leash, and a long afternoon for one who dislikes crowds. Our HarvestFest page has the dog owner's view.
At Dogtown, October is bath month again, this time for sand and salt rather than mud: a bath from $55 by size, Shed Release for $10 as the fall coat blows, and nail clipping for $16 after a summer on soft ground. Thanksgiving is seven weeks away and the suites at $78 a night fill early; the $700 membership includes priority holiday reservations.
At Dogtown
Beach season at Dogtown
A bath after the first sandy week, and the Thanksgiving suite booked before November.
Asked and answered
Questions people ask about this
Short, complete answers you can act on today. More in the full FAQ.
Is October 1 a Good Harbor day or a Wingaersheek day?
What does Singing Beach require from dogs in October?
Are ticks still a problem in October?
Should I book Thanksgiving boarding in October?
More questions? Read the full FAQ
Sources
Rules and dates change. We re-check every beach, licensing and ordinance page each spring and fall; the source above is the current word.
Keep reading
Next step
The beaches are back. Book the bath.
Grooming needs no evaluation and can be booked online or in the Dogtown app. Overnight stays for the holidays begin with a free weekday-morning evaluation.
- 01Free evaluationWeekdays 6:30 – 9:30 AM
- 02Book a dayOnline, in the app or by phone
- 03Play, rest, repeatReport card at pick-up
