As you start dreaming up your ultimate spring getaway on the Cape, be sure to include the Daffodil Festival in Nantucket, MA, in your plans. Hosted by the Nantucket Island Chamber of Commerce the last weekend in April, this annual event is the best way to celebrate Nantucket Island, the beauty and cheery symbolism of the daffodil, and springtime, all in one unforgettable weekend.
The History of The Daffodil Festival
The Daffodil Festival has become such a classic part of Nantucket; it’s hard to believe there was ever a time without it! It all started in 1975 when Jean MacAusland, a member of the Nantucket Garden Club, encouraged the group to organize the event. With over 250 entries and three Best-in-Show awards at that first festival, the area knew it would only blossom (much like the flowers themselves) from there. The Board of Selectmen even officially declared the new “Nantucket Daffodil Week,” and the rest was history. Now, nearly half a century later, the festival has grown to include all kinds of fun, including an antique car parade, window decorating contests, picnics, children’s activities, and more.
The Daffodil Flower Show
Essential to The Daffodil Festival is The Annual Daffodil Flower Show organized by the Nantucket Garden Club, each year with a new theme such as 2023’s “Seas of Daffodils.” The show is typically held at the greenhouses at Bartlett’s Farm, a historic family farm whose passion for fresh food, sustainability, community, and beautiful plants always harmonizes perfectly with the Flower Show’s cheery celebration. The show is free and open to the public, and it’s a big deal to attend! American Daffodil Society Judges travel from as far away as Georgia, Maryland, and New York to determine the winners. If you grow your own daffodils, check out the festival’s many helpful guides on how to best cultivate and photograph these special flowers.
The Car Parade & Tailgate in ‘Sconset
If flowers aren’t your cup of tea, you can still thoroughly enjoy the Daffodil weekend on Nantucket. One of the first additions to the Daffodil Festival back in 1978 was a classic car parade followed by a tailgating picnic, and since then, the tradition has lived on. Typically, on the Saturday of the Daffodil Festival weekend, visitors can view the cars on Main Street, and then around noon, they will parade out to ‘Sconset, where the tailgate picnic is held from 12:30 to 3 PM. The buzz in the air is palpable this weekend with dozens of decorated vintage cars and motorcycles, socializing between locals and visitors alike, and the brightness of daffodils a main theme throughout.
With our inn as your ideal home base for your trip to Nantucket, you’ll love experiencing this annual spring tradition. Between lounging on an Adirondack chair in our English gardens, strolling through the historic Bartlett’s farm greenhouses, and tailgate picnicking in ‘Sconset, the Daffodil Festival in Nantucket, MA, is the perfect scene for your ideal Cape Cod spring vacation. Rooms go fast this festival weekend, so check availability today!
