There is a lot of food, wine and fun on the horizon on Nantucket!!

Things are blossoming here on Nantucket. Restaurants – new and old are opening, the 16th Annual Nantucket Wine Festival starts on May 16, Figawi Race weekend events Memorial Day weekend and the week of June 4th kicks off Spring Restaurant Week.

The 16th Annual Nantucket Wine Festival kicks off Wednesday, May 16th with the Opening Reception, at the White Elephant Hotel deck, featuring Veuve Clicquot Yellow Label Champagne served with savory appetizers prepared by the Executive Chef of the Brant Point Grill, Frederick Bisaillon and accompanied by the music of Nantucket guitar virtuoso Jim Sulzer.

On Thursday, May 17th, enjoy an elegant evening at the 11th Annual Nantucket Wine Festival Harbor Gala at the White Elephant Hotel, featuring 35 pairs of tables, each with a winemaker or winery representative and a restaurant chef or artisan food producer whose cuisine is chosen to match the wines. There will be over 200 wineries represented.

The Grand Tasting, offered on 3 occasions, will have over 200 wineries converge at the newly-renovated Nantucket Yacht Club. The Grand Tastings help to support Nantucket Combined Charities, Inc. Tickets are sold on a first come, first served basis and you MUST be 21 or older to enter the Grand Tasting.

The Nantucket Wine Festival will wrap up with the Galley Beach – Bubbles, Burgers and Beer – A Beach Party on Sunday, May 20th at 3pm. Celebrate the finale of Nantucket Wine Festival and unwind at the beach while three local chefs battle it out in a burger smackdown. The ticket includes a glass of Veuve Clicquot Champagne or a Cisco Beer, the raw bar and sliders.

There are many other events happening throughout the Nantucket Wine Festival – various wine and food seminars, lunches, brunches and dinners, and the Celebrity Chef and Winemaker Auction Dinner. For a full schedule and description of events, prices, and more general information please click here to view the Nantucket Wine Festival website.

Coffin & Sconset Real Estate

508-228-1138

508-257-6335

(Photos from the Nantucket Wine Festival website)

Entering Sconset

Decked out for Daffy!

Various cars participating in the parade out to Sconset

Coffin & Sconset Real Estate's window boxes all Daffy. Thank you, Jesse Dutra Landscape!

Coffin & Sconset Real Estate

508-228-1138

508-257-6335

Mysterious Origins of Man @ Nantucket Atheneum Great Hall on Friday, May 4th @ 7pm – 9pm

Nantucket Cottage Hospital Annual Health Fair @ Nantucket Cottage Hospital on Saturday, May 5th @ 8am – 11am

Night Under the STARs @ The Chicken Box on Saturday, May 5th @ 7pm – 10pm

Charity Brunch @ Brant Point Grill on Sunday, May 6th @ 11am – 2pm

Water: The Great Mystery @ Nantucket Atheneum Great Hall on Friday, June 1st @ 7pm – 9pm

A fascinating movie reveals recent discoveries about water, the least studied substance in the world. 

Coffin & Sconset Real Estate

508-228-1138

508-257-6335

NEW BONUS BUYER INCENTIVE

and

OPEN HOUSE

Thursday, April 26, 2012

10:30 – 12:30

10 Beaver Street

NOW $894,000

Please come by to view this wonderful addition to the future sale of

10 Beaver Street

Exclusively listed with

Betsy Holden

508-325-2640

betsyh@coffinrealestate.com

and

Paul Surprenant

508-332-9537

pauls@coffinrealestate.com

The Nantucket Historical Association is now interviewing for various summer positions at the Whaling Museum and its historic sites. If you enjoy working with people, want to share your love of Nantucket and like history perhaps this is a job for you. For more information, click here or send a letter of interest, resume and three references to Christopher Mason, NHA Manager of Interpretation, at cmason@nha.org.

The Nantucket Historical Association is the non-profit beneficiary of the annual Wine Auction Dinner taking place on Saturday, May 19, 2012 at the White Elephant. For preferred seating, admission to a VIP reception and the highest level donation to the NHA, select either an Oenophile $800 ($550.00 is tax deductible) or Vigneron $450.00 ($200.00 is tax deductible) ticket. 

On Saturday, April 14th at 10am the Nantucket from A to Z: A Letterbox Scavenger Hunt begins at the Whaling Museum. Hunt across Nantucket Historical Association properties deciphering clues and searching for hidden treasures. Instructions and clues are available at the Whaling Museum. 13 Broad Street.

Join Anne Sutherland, Artists Association of Nantucket instructor, for two special classes in basic drawing including line, texture, shading and composition at the Sketching History Class on Sunday, April 22nd and April 29th at the Whaling Museum. Class is 1pm to 3:30pm. 13 Broad Street.

Bring your lunch and come to Food for Thought Lecture Series every Thursday at Gosnell Hall at 12pm. The following is the schedule for April:

April 12th – Libby Gibson, Nantucket Town Manager, "Town Administration: Up Close & Personal"

April 19th – Tara Riley, Town of Nantucket Shellfish Biologist, "Shellfish and Fisheries Here and Abroad"

April 26th – Dylan Wallace, Nantucket Native LLC, "Organic Gardening on Nantucket"

Betsy Tyler is named the new Nantucket Historical Association Obed Macy Research Chair. Tyler is the author of over twenty-six books of Nantucket history including recent NHA publications. The position will lead and develop a greatly expanded NHA research Program, enhancing efforts to advance and widely disseminate rich historical collections and resources to ever-widening audiences.

Tuck't In: A Walking Tour of Historic Prospect Hill Cemetery, written by Paula Lundy Levy for Prospect Hill Cemetery Association, presents a 200 year history of the island through chronicles of whaling captains, mariners, merchants, writers, artists, educators, Civil War Veterans and more. Tuck't In can be found at Mitchell's Book Corner, Nantucket Bookworks, The Hub and Tresses and The Day Spa. Stop in to one of the locations and pick up a copy. The proceeds from the book will fund the preservation, conservation and restoration at the historic cemetery.

Coffin & Sconset Real Estate

508-228-1138

508-257-6335

The Cru Oyster Bar will open this May at the end of Straight Wharf at the former location of The Ropewalk. Jane Stoddard, Carlos Hidalgo and Erin Zircher shared a vision to start something new and unique and combined their experiences to open Cru. The Cru press release calls it "casually elegant cuisine in a visually stunning waterfront location overlooking Nantucket harbor."

The former owners of Arno's at 41 Main, Chris Morris and Michelle St. Martin, have applied to the Board of Selectmen and hope to operate The Pit Stop at the Trading Post on Nobadeer Farm Road. They expect to offer in April and plan to offer "family style barbeque, southern fried chicken and all the fixin's available by take-out or ready to go items in the hot box. There will be breakfast sandwiches served daily in the hot box staring at 7am. 

The Sea Dog LLC has signed a 10 year lease with Nantucket Island Resorts to take over the former Cy's location and will be called Sea Dog Nantucket. The Sea Dog will be opened by the Maine-based microbrewery and has brewpubs in Woburn and Hull. 

Met on Main is being opened by Trustman's The Metropolitan Club Inc., which is behind several upscale restaurants in and around Boston, including the Met Back Bay, the Metropolitan Club in Chestnut Hill and the Met Bar in Dedham and Natick. 

Nantucket looks forward to these new additions!

Coffin & Sconset Real Estate

508-228-1138

508-257-6335

Saturday, March 17

ShamRock Walk/Run 2012 @ Cisco Brewers @ 10:30am – 2pm

A scenic 4 mile run/walk beginning at Cisco Brewery passing by Bartlett's Farm, Miacomet pond and the Miacomet Golf Course and returning to Cisco Brewery.

All Things Green – Tim Pitts of Centre Street Bistro @ Bartlett's Farm @ 10am – 11am

New ideas to spice up your salads. Spring salads and other green foods in celebration of St. Patrick's Day.

Simply Diamond Rocks the Box @ 7:30pm 

A Neil Diamond Tribute Band benefiting the Nantucket Lighthouse School. Live Irish music, games, Chinese auction, lite fare. $25 per person.

Sunday, March 18

Goodbye Winter, Hello Spring Carnival @ Small Friends @ 10am – 1pm

A benefit for Small Friends of Nantucket.

Baroque Music Festival Concert: Chamber and Choral Music of the Baroque @ First Congregational Church @ 4pm

Music of Vivaldi, Bach and Purcell. Directed by Barbara Elder. @25 Admission.

Southie @ Starlight Theatre & Cafe @ 5pm

A hard hitting family drama about a man caught in the web if the Irish mob. Presented by Elizabeth F. Bagley and the Theatre Workshop. Q & A following the screening. Rated R.

The Commitments @ Starlight Theatre & Cafe @ 7pm – 9pm

A comedy drama about unemployed Dubliners who dream of forming a soul band. Presented by Elizabeth F. Bagley and the Theatre Workshop.

Wednesday, March 21

Nantucket Improv Comedy Show @ Rose & Crown @ 8:30pm

Come out for fun and laughter.

Chamber of Commerce March Mixer @ The Sea Grille @ 6pm – 9pm

Second annual March mixer, open to the public. Dinner buffet and cash bar with D.J. Bobby Lamb. RSVP to Nantucket Chamber of Commerce. $20 per person.

Thursday, March 22

Hope for Haiti Benefit @ American Legion Hall @ 5pm – 7:30pm

Spaghetti dinner. Proceeds to benefit Yvrose Ismael's School and Children's Home in Haiti. Suggested donation $10 adults, $5 children, $25 family. Donations can be made to Summer Street Church.

Next Steps for Downtown @ Nantucket Atheneum @ 4pm – 5:30pm

Downtown business community expert Ann Burke will share her experiences in helping other Main Streets flourish. Refreshments served. Sponsored by ReMain Nantucket.

Friday, March 23

Staged Reading: Equus @ Nantucket Atheneum @ 7pm – 9pm

Story by Peter Shaffer of a psychiatrist who attempts to treat a young man who has a pathological religious fascination with horses. Directed by Meredith Martin. Presented by the Theatre Workshop.

Saturday, March 24

Bartlett's Farm Grilled Cheese Challenge @ Bartlett's Farm @ 11am – 2pm

4th Annual Grilled Cheese Challenge. Hosted by Nantucket Improv.

Paint the Town Red @ American Legion Hall @ 5:30pm

Cocktails @ 5:30pm, surf and turf dinner at 6pm. Entertainment by Bob Lehman. Cash bar, door prizes and auction. $30 per ticket at 508-228-1135 or at The Homestead. Benefits the Homestead.

Sunday, March 25

Staged Reading: Equus @ African Meeting House @ 7pm – 9pm

Story by Peter Shaffer of a psychiatrist who attempts to treat a young man who has a pathological religious fascination with horses. Directed by Meredith Martin. Presented by the Theatre Workshop.

Coffin & Sconset Real Estate

508-228-1138

508-257-6335