Nantucket Daffodil Weekend 2011

From early-April to mid-May, millions of daffodils of every color, shape and size bloom on Nantucket. If you'll be on island during this great tradition... be sure to stop in to Lola 41 for lunch, dinner, or a pre/post festivity cocktail!

Call (508) 325-4001 for reservations

Originated by the late Jean MacAusland, a summer resident of Nantucket and former publisher of Gourmet magazine, who persuaded the Nantucket Garden Club to sponsor a daffodil show on the island in 1974. The first planting of daffodils took place along Milestone Road. Each year thousands of bulbs were added to the fields & roadsides, slowly achieving the ultimate goal of one million daffodils. In the early 1980s, Mrs. MacAusland ordered another eight tons of bulbs directly from the Netherlands and with the help of professional landscapers planted another 100,000 daffodil bulbs. Island residents embraced the idea with enthusiasm and many began to join in the planting. In the fall of 1994, the Garden Club planted an additional 10,000 “late-blooming” bulbs, hoping to extend the daffodil season. Today an estimated three million blossoms, which have naturalized over the years, bloom along the island’s roadsides, gardens and shop windows with blossoms of yellow, orange, white and even pale pink.

Daffodils are in bloom for about five weeks – early and late bloomers from early-April to mid-May. Springtime on Nantucket brings delightful weather and offers opportunities for seal cruises and outdoor activities such as bicycling, hiking, fishing, photography, bird watching and nature study. Visitors are encouraged to leave their cars behind, as all activities are accessible by walking, bicycle, or taxi.

2011 Highlighted Weekend Events

• Annual Window Decorating Contest 
  Judging begins at 12 PM on Friday, April 29. Merchants are encouraged to beautify their store windows with an original Daffodil Festival theme. Ribbons for Most Creative & Most Traditional are awarded at 4 PM.Stop by the Chamber office at Zero Main Street, for a list of participants and winners!

• Annual Antique Car Parade
  The grand event, held on Saturday, April 30, features over 100 daffodil bedecked antique cars (pre-registration necessary for participation). The decorated cars are staged on Main Street beginning at 9:30 AM, where they are judged in various catagories including Most Authentic, Most Traditional Decorating, Most Creative Decorating and People's Choice. The parade begins at 12 PM by taking a right onto Centre Street, down Broad Street, a right onto So. Water Street & back up Main Street before taking a left on Orange Street, through the Rotary, out Milestone Road to 'Sconset. Important Reminder: Main Street will be closed to traffic from 6 AM - 1:30 PM. Cars will be towed at owner's expense.

• Annual Daffodil Children's Parade
  This event, beginning at 10 AM (10:15 start) on Saturday, April 30 at Children's Beach, is fun for children of all ages & their families. Decorate your bicycle, wagon, skateboard, baby carriage or other self-propelled wheeled conveyance with a Daffodil theme. Cookies, lemonade & ribbons for all! Children under 10 should be accompanied by an adult & all children on bicycles must wear a helmet. Sponsored by the Nantucket Island Chamber of Commerce & White Elephant Hotel.
  

• Annual Daffy Hat Pageant
  Beginning at 10:45 AM, Saturday, April 30 at Children's Beach Bandstand is the Annual Daffy Hat Pageant! Show off your creativity! Festively decorate a daffodil-themed hat - from elegant to goofy - & come join the pageant! Open
  to men, women & children! Ribbons awarded in Adult & Children’s categories.
  

• Annual Daffy Dog Parade. 
  Is your dog in the daffodil spirit? Enter your decorated pup in this fun pageant on Main Street following the Antique Car Parade on Saturday, April 30 at 12:30 PM. Prizes and ribbons will be awarded to the Best Daffodil-themed dogs in 1st, 2nd and 3rd place. All dogs must be leashed and play well with others. Pre-registration required on the corner of Federal and Main sts the morning of April 30 from 10 AM - 12 PM.
  

• Annual Daffodil Tailgate Picnic
  Bring along your picnics & blankets from 1 - 3 PM on Saturday, April 30 and check out the antique cars on Main Street in 'Sconset! Those attending are encourged to bike or carpool. The public may picnic on the north side of Main Street only. For the first time in many years, non-antique car Daffodil Festival picnic attendees will be given an opportunity to enter the picnic contest. The contest is open to AMATEURS ONLY (no professional chefs or catered food). For information on how to enter, please call the Chamber at             508-228-1700      . Important Reminder: The public is reminded that the Tailgate Picnic in Sconset is held on public property and that, by law, open containers and consumption of alcohol is prohibited on a public way. Due to emergency vehicle concerns, parking will only be allowed on one designated side of certain streets and will be strictly enforced. Main Street 'Sconset will be closed to traffic from 7 AM - 3 PM on Saturday, April30.

• 37th Annual Daffodil Flower Show
  Free admission! Enjoy show entries in horticulture, arrangement & photography at the Coffin School, 4 Winter Street. Saturday from 2 - 5 PM and Sunday from 10 AM - 4:30 PM. Sponsored and organized by the Nantucket Garden Club & American Daffodil Society.
  
  

• NEW Daffodil Merchandise & 50/50 Raffle - Please help support Daffodil Festival events!
  Donate $5 and receive a beautiful newly designed 1" hard enamel pin, featuring the island surrounded by daffodils. Donate $20 and receive a butter yellow baseball cap with an embroidered Daffodil Festival logo. Merchandise will be available at the Chamber office (2nd Floor, Zero Main Street) or, on Saturday, April 30 at the Daffodil Info Table (downstairs at Zero Main Street.)
  
  50/50 raffle tickets will be for sale for $1 each or 12 for $10, in the Chamber office (2nd Floor, Zero Main Street) on Friday, April 29, at the Daffodil Info Table (downstairs at Zero Main Street) and at the Tailgate Picnic in 'Sconset on Saturday. The drawing will be held at 5 PM on Saturday at the Chamber office, and you need NOT be present to win.