Click here for Yesterday's Island complete listing of island events that is updated weekly. Fall on Nantucket September, October & November 2008 With its crimson-colored landscape, dramatic sunsets and weather tempered by an Indian summer, the mood following the busy summer season is relaxed but still offers much to experience! Some of the finest months on Nantucket are September October and November, when the island’s natural beauty takes center stage and its historic museums, shops, lodging and fine restaurants remain open to accommodate fall visitors. Nature lovers, sports enthusiasts, history buffs and patrons of the arts will delight in the myriad of activities available on Nantucket each autumn. Visitors can enjoy walking, bicycling, hiking, picnicking, nature study and scenic viewing. Birdwatchers will appreciate the number of rare and endangered species to be sighted. Those who love architecture or history will becharmed by Nantucket Town, which recalls the illustrious past of a whaling empire with its cobblestone carriageways and narrow lanes. More than 800 houses built between 1740 and 1840 still grace the island’s downtown core, and almost all are preserved in their original settings.Nantucket is the only community in America where the entire islandis recognized as an historic district. October and November are filled with additional seasonal activities and events. From the Annual Chowder Contest (Oct. 18) to the 3rd Annual Nantucket Restaurant Week (see below) Nantucket Arts Festival, (see below) The Nantucket Historical Association’s Harvest Fair and the Nantucket Conservation Foundation’s Cranberry Festival there is something for everyone to enjoy! Click HERE to view video coverage of the Nantucket Chowder Contest Click HERE to view video coverage of the Nantucket Cranberry Harvest Festival Click HERE to view video coverage of the Nantucket Historical Association Harvest Fair Click HERE for the Fall on Nantucket 2008 Calendar of Events Adobe Acrobat Reader is required to view these files. You can download it from adobe.com. Click HERE for Fall Travel Specials & Packages! The Nantucket Arts Festival August 29 - September 5, 2008 A celebration of arts on Nantucket sponsored by the Nantucket Arts Council. This week long festival bringing together the best of performing, visual and literary arts with venues throughout the island. For festival information call 508-325-8588 or visit www.nantucketartscouncil.org. Nantucket Restaurant Week September 29 - October 5, 2008 Enjoy a week long culinary extravaganza showcasing Nantucket’s superb restaurants! For more information and a list of participating restaurants visit www.NantucketRestaurantWeek.com or call 508-325-0048. Click HERE to view video coverage of the 2007 Nantucket Restaurant Week Nantucket Noel November 28 - December 31, 2008 featuring Christmas Stroll Weekend December 5 - 7, 2008 Nantucket is particularly enchanting during the holiday season, when New England’s finest traditions come alive for the Annual Christmas Stroll Weekend, which is part of Nantucket Noel a month-long celebration organized by the Nantucket Island Chamber of Commerce. The Annual Christmas Stroll Weekend is a community holiday celebration attracting visitors from around the world. Santa and Mrs. Claus arrive to the island via a Coast Guard vessel and ride up Main Street in a horse-drawn carriage accompanied by the Town Crier. Carolers in Victorian costumes, bell ringers, student choirs and other musicians perform on the Main Street stage as well as stroll through town performing, all the while visitors can enjoy Nantucket’s unique shops and restaurants. For more information, please call 508-228-1700. Click HERE for the 2007 Nantucket Noel Calendar of Events featuring Christmas Stroll Weekend Adobe Acrobat Reader is required to view these files. You can download it free from adobe.com. Please click HERE to view Plum TV's video coverage of the Christmas Stroll Weekend Please click HERE to view Plum TV's video coverage of the Nantucket Noel Decorating Contests Nantucket Daffodil Festival Weekend April 24 - 26, 2009 From early-April to mid-May, over three million daffodils of every color, shape and size will bloom on Nantucket Island.This blossoming, and the advent of spring itself, is the focal point of the Nantucket Island Chamber of Commerce’s Annual Daffodil Festival. Originated by the late Jean MacAusland, a summer resident of Nantucket and former publisher of Gourmet magazine, the weekend has grown into a full-scale celebration of winter’s thaw, joyous for both islanders and visitors alike. Daffodils adorn the island’s roadsides, gardens and shop windows with blossoms of yellow, orange, white and even pale pink. The Daffodil Festival’s grand event, held on Saturday (Rain or Shine) is the Annual Antique Car Parade, featuring over100 daffodil-bedecked antique cars (pre-registration necessary for participation.) After winding through town and across the island to the charming village of Siasconset, participants join residents and visitors for the Annual Daffodil Tailgate Picnic. Held on the lush lawns leading into the village the picnic boasts fare ranging from elaborate gourmet cuisine served on fine china to box lunches and burgers. Other highlights include the Nantucket Garden Club’s Annual Daffodil Show, Children’s Daffodil Parade and The Daffy Hat Pageant. Click HERE to view Plum TV's video coverage of Daffodil Festival Click HERE for the 2008 Spring on Nantucket Calendar of Events including Daffodil Festival Weekend. Adobe Acrobat Reader is required to view these files. If you do not have the Acrobat Reader you can download it free from adobe.com. Historic Preservation Month Month of May 2009 During National Preservation Month, Nantucket celebrates local history, heritage, education and historic preservation efforts with a month of activities.Organized by the Nantucket Preservation Trust. For more information, call 508-228-1387 or visit www.nantucketpreservation.org Nantucket Wine Festival 2009 Dates TBA A multi-faceted exploration of food and wine emphasizing Nantucket's historic celebration of all things gastronomic. For over twelve years, Nantucket Island becomes host to over 100 wineries of international acclaim. Sip wine in grand homes and dine in Nantucket's world-class restaurants. For a wine festival program or reservations, call 508-228-1128 or visit www.nantucketwinefestival.com Please click HERE to view Plum TV's video coverage of the Nantucket Wine Festival Nantucket Film Festival 2009 Dates TBA For over ten years, the Nantucket Film Festival has been renowned for its eschewing of Hollywood glamour and its focus on the substantive art of screen writing. For more information, please call 508-325-6274 or visit www.nantucketfilmfestival.org Please click HERE to view Plum TV's video coverage of the Nantucket Film Festival Sandcastle & Sculpture Day August 15, 2009 The Nantucket Island Chamber of Commerce, in conjunction with the Nantucket Island School of Design and the Arts (NISDA),will hold the 35th Annual Sandcastle and Sculpture Day, Saturday, August 16, 2008 on Jetties Beach. Over 50 sculptures will emerge from the sand on this August afternoon. A late-summer ritual for some, families and teams return year after year to vie for top honors. The rules are simple - be creative! Tools and building aids, ornaments and decorations all may be used, but none are supplied. Contestants are urged to work with biodegradable items,and must take away any non-biodegradable items used. Pre-registration is necessary. You may register at the Chamber office at Zero Main Street until noon on Friday, August 15, 2008. Contestants may enter in one of four categories: Family Team, Adult Team, 11-16 Year Olds and 10 & Under. The age group of a team is determined by its oldest member. A family is considered a team if adults participate. Family members not registered can cheer all they want but must keep their hands off the sand. The non-refundable entry fee is $5 per person. Judging is based on CREATIVITY, CONCEPT and DESIGN. Highlights have included everything from Nantucket Lightship Baskets to VW Bugs. All participants will receive a ribbon and a People’s Choice ribbon will be awarded! Judges are professional artists from the faculty of the Nantucket Island School of Design.This is a fun-filled day for participants or admirers of sandcastle sculpting. A visit to Jetties Beach to watch the sculpting in action or view the finished sculptures at sunset is well worth the trip! Click HERE to view video coverage of the Sandcastle Contest Please Note: With only 900 licensed hotel/guest rooms on the island, accommodations book well in advance. Early reservations are recommended. For last-minute accommodations call the Nantucket Visitor Services at 508-228-0925. Nantucket is accessible by airplane and ferry. (One hour high speed ferry services are also available.) Visitors are strongly encouraged to leave their cars behind;most activities are accessible by seasonal Shuttle, walking, bicycle, or taxi. Call the Chamber of Commerce at 508-228-1700 to order the Official Guide - the best Nantucket resource. Click here for a complete listing of Nantucket events that is updated weekly.