(Great Escapes)
Nantucket Island Chamber of Commerce's
38th Annual Nantucket Daffodil Festival Weekend
April 27th – 29th
"A Three Million Daffodil Celebration: April's gentle sea breezes and warming sunshine coax new growth from the island's sandy soil, adorning roadsides and gardens with an astonishing variety of daffodils. Come wear your Daffy Hat, watch the Antique Car Parade, have a tailgate picnic and welcome Spring."
Daffy Festival was named one of the "5 don't-miss festivals across the US" on the MSNBC Season Travel. They write, "After a long and snowy winter, the island of Nantucket celebrates the spring thaw each year with its colorful Nantucket Daffodil Festival. This year's festivities, which run from April 29 through April 29th, will feature annual events such as the antique car parade (the vehicles are, of course, bedecked with daffodil blooms), the daffy hat pageant (how many flowers can you fit onto your baseball cap?) and the daffy dog parade (a daffodil-decorated Fido might lack a little dignity, but he'll sure look pretty)."
The first annual Daffodil Weekend began in 1974 by the late Jean MacAusland, a summer resident of Nantucket and former publisher of Gourmet magazine. The first planting of daffodils took place along Milestone Road and today an estimated three million blossoms bloom along roadsides, flower boxes of homes and businesses and gardens. Daffodils are in bloom for about five weeks from early April to mid May.
2012 Weekend Events
*Annual Antique Car Parade ~ Saturday, April 28th Staging @ 9:30am Parade @ 12pm
~Dozens of antique cars and motorcycles will be lined up on Main Street adorned with daffodils and will be judged in various categories including Most Authentic, Most Traditional Decorating, Most Creative Decorating and People's Choice. At 12pm they will head up Orange Street, through the Rotary, out Milestone Road and arrive on Main Street in 'Sconset.
*Annual Daffy Children's Parade ~Saturday, April 28th @ 10am
~Decorate your bicycle, wagon, stroller, skateboard, etc. Cookies, lemonade and ribbons for all.
*Annual Daffy Hat Pageant ~ Saturday, April 28th @ 10:45am
~Show off your creativity at the Children's Beach Bandstand with your festively decorated daffodil themed hat. Ribbons are awarded in adult and children's categories.
*Annual Daffy Dog Parade ~ Saturday, April 28th @ 12:30pm
~Prizes and ribbons will be awarded to the Best Daffodil themed dogs in 1st, 2nd and 3rd places. Pre-registration is required and can be found at the corner of Federal and Main Streets between 10am – 12pm.
*Annual Daffy Tailgate Picnic ~ Saturday, April 28th @ 1pm – 3pm
~Bring your blanket, beach chairs and picnic and stroll Main Street in 'Sconset.
*Annual Daffy Flower Show ~ Saturday, April 28th 2pm – 5pm & Sunday, April 29th 10am – 4:30pm
~Free admission to this year's show at Bartlett's Farm including horticulture, arrangement and photography.
*Daffodil 5k ~ Sunday, April 29th @ 8am
~Scenic course traverses the village of 'Sconset's historic neighborhoods and ocean side roads. Hosted by the Nantucket Triathlon Club.
*Daffodil Brunch ~ Sunday, April 29th @ 10:30am
~Enjoy 3 course Bartlett's Farm made brunch. $35 tax and gratuity included.
We hope you all are able to attend this wonderful weekend event and have a Daffy good time!
508-228-1138