A variety of activities in several locations are planned for an in-person 2022 Nantucket Daffodil Festival that is sure to be particularly festive after two years of pandemic cancellations.
On Daffy Saturday, April 23, the festival fun organized by the Nantucket Island Chamber of Commerce begins at 9:15 am, when dozens of antiques cars and some antique motorcycles, vehicles and drivers all decorated for Daffy, line up on Main Street in advance of the Antique Car Parade. The staging remains in place until noon, giving people 2.5 hours to view the vehicles, visit with friends, and slip out to Children’s Beach for activities the Chamber has planned at that venue.
At 10 am on Saturday, Daffy fun at Children’s Beach starts with the Daffodil Hat Pageant followed by the Daffodil Children’s Parade showcasing bicycles, wagons, and strollers that kids and their families have decorated for Daffy. After these Chamber signature events, there will be more family fun at Children’s Beach that includes a NanPuppets Performance, a visit from Barnaby Bear, and giveaways. At 12:30 pm, the Nantucket Island Safe Harbor for Animals (NiSHA) will hold their Daffy Dog parade. There are so many events on Daffodil Saturday, that you’ll want to plan an itinerary that enables you to see them all!
At 12 noon, the vehicles on Main Street parade to Siasconet for the Tailgate Picnic. With parking at a premium in ‘Sconset and spots reserved for parade participants, be prepared to park a few blocks away and walk to ‘Sconset’s Main Street to stroll along the picnic route. Most of the picnics have entertaining themes and many participants don creative costumes. A few will share their picnic treats with passersby, but that is not a given and there is typically no food for sale during the picnic in Siasconset, so bring your own basket if you want to enjoy a picnic lunch. Live music often livens up the Daffodil Tailgate Picnic.
The Nantucket Garden Club’s famous Daffodil Show—which started this festive fun 46 years ago—opens to the public on Saturday, April 23 at 2 pm. Held in the greenhouses of Bartlett’s Farm, this display of more than 700 daffodils plus daffodil flower arrangements and photographs of daffodils is truly a sight to behold! The show continues on Saturday until 5pm, with a free NRTA shuttle from the Greenhound Building downtown to and from Bartlett’s Farm on Saturday during the show. On Sunday, April 24, the Daffodil Show is open from 10am to 4 pm. The Daffodil Show is free to all, with donations to the Garden Club welcomed. The Nantucket Daffodil Show is approved by the American Daffodil Society.
To see photos and videos of past Nantucket Daffodil Festivals and events, visit DaffodilFestival.com.
