Chamber Sponsored Events Chamber Sponsored Events

Nantucket Noel November 1, 2023- January 1, 2024 Featuring Christmas Stroll Weekend December 1-3, 2023

Our iconic cobblestoned Main Street lined with glittering fir trees, strolling Victorian carolers, a European-style Christmas market, storefronts and homes festively arrayed for the season, Santa holding court beside a glowing hearth as eager children await their visit...experience all this and more as a yuletide worthy of Dickens is brought to life at our Annual Christmas Stroll.

Nantucket Noel begins on Thanksgiving Weekend with the Christmas Tree Lighting and Caroling Ceremony on November 24. Locals and visitors alike gather on Main Street—named one of the most beautiful in America—to join our illustrious Town Crier as he leads the “countdown.” At the stroke of ‘1’, 100 balsam trees magically come alive in a blaze of light. Jubilant caroling–led by our own high school a capella chorus, The Accidentals & Naturals—fills the crisp air, setting the mood for a quintessential holiday experience.

Our world-renowned Christmas Stroll follows on December 1-3, transforming the island into a glittering panorama of sight and sound. Affectionately dubbed “Stroll,” this is a weekend not to be missed! The guest of honor—Santa Claus himself—arrives via his own nautical “sleigh” accompanied by members of the Coast Guard. Docking at Straight Wharf, he boards a vintage firetruck and commences a jubilant parade up Main Street to the delight of throngs of children young and old. At the head of Main Street, the Magical Talking Tree beckons one and all to its gaily festooned branches for some whimsical conversation.

Take a moment to admire the uniquely decorated windows and doorways of merchants who vie for coveted ribbons deeming their efforts “Most Creative” or “Most Traditional.” The bustling Christmas Marketplace at the foot of Main Street features a variety of stands serving hot beverages, a myriad of foods, crafts and wares...the perfect way to grab some sustenance as you jump-start your holiday shopping.

Nantucket New Years brings our month-long Noel event to a close with an array of fun and festive activities island-wide. From nature walks, ice skating at our state-of-the-art rink, the NHA’s Festival of Trees exhibit—and more—it’s the perfect, family-friendly way to celebrate the waning year on our diminutive island-at-sea.

Production of the Chamber’s signature annual events—Daffodil Festival and Christmas Stroll—involves a slew of tireless volunteers, meticulous planning, and a silent prayer to the weather gods to bless the island with clear skies and moderate temperatures on the crucial weekends in April and December.

Daffodil Festival Weekend

April

25-28, 2024

From early April to mid-May, over three million daffodils of every hue, shape and size burst forth across the island, adorning roadsides, gardens, window boxes, shops and more. The Chamber-sponsored Daffodil Festival is a rollicking celebration of spring’s arrival, featuring an Antique Car Parade & Tailgate Picnic, as well as Daffy Hat, Dog and Children’s Parades. Islanders and visitors alike rejoice in the advent of the sun’s warm rays and proliferation of our cheery “signature” bulb. Don your daffiest “chapeau,” adorn your pampered pet in Daffy-themed garb, bedeck your vintage Packard in brilliant buttery yellow, and join us in paying homage to this most festive festival flower.

The Antique Car Parade (the Festival’s central event) showcases over 110 handsomely decorated vintage automobiles and motorcycles. Staging begins on Main Street at 9:30 AM (take a “selfie” with your favorites and vote for Most Authentic, Best Decorated, People’s Choice & Best in Show) and at noon, the venerable vehicles wind through Town and perambulate out to the charming village of ‘Sconset for the Taligate Picnic. Pack a brimming basket of sustenance, bask in the sun and enjoy an al fresco lunch. You’ll want to survey the unique and elaborate repasts of Car Parade participants who compete for awards with their creatively themed picnics.

In the Downtown area, the Children’s Beach venue showcases an original performance of “Nanpuppets” to entertain kids of all ages. And don’t forget to stop by the Chamber office at 0 Main Street to pick up our Official Daffodil Calendar of Events and peruse our limited edition Daffy merchandise. It’s “Flower Power to the Max” as Nantucket pays homage to the beauteous and brilliant daffodil—in various and sundry ways—while bidding adieu to winter and celebrating the arrival of spring!