I never need an excuse to visit Nantucket. It is my favorite destination in the entire USA! However, I had never attended a particular annual Nantucket event. The Daffodil Festival is held every April on the island of Nantucket, off the coast of southern Massachusetts. “Everything that is daffodil” can be observed during this weekend festival! This year, I decided to visit the island to experience this time honored ritual.

The fast ferry from Hyannis brought me to the island in about one hours time. As we pulled into the harbor, the first sight that caught my eye, was the daffodil wreath hung against the lighthouse as it greeted us visitors.

Upon arrival, one soon notices the daffodil atmosphere and preparations for the festival. Even the bicycle rental shop had daffodil displays showing proudly within its windows.

Wandering further up the side streets, I caught a glimpse of the daffodil-decorated classic autos awaiting their turn to be staged on Main Street prior to the car parade.

Many shops displayed stunning daffodils in their window sills or in the soil in front of them.

The classic autos lined up one by one in front of the judges on Main Street. They announced the make and year of the autos as they drove up in front of the podium. The cars then drove at a slow pace while the crowd would “ohh” and “ahh” at the stylish vehicle and its fancy or whimsical daffodil decorations.

After watching the auto staging for a while, it was time for a hearty breakfast. I headed over to Arno’s ( Arno’s Restaurant). My morning meal was a tofu scramble with broccoli, spinach, peppers, and mushrooms. It was accompanied by homefries and toast. I opted for an orange juice as my kick-starter morning beverage. Everything was delicious.

UPDATE January 2019 – Arno’s is permanently closed.

Over at Children’s Beach, the next activity was about to begin. A crowd was gathering for the children’s parade. Daffodil-decorated children rode their daffodil-decorated bicycles, scooters, wagons, and mini-autos. “Adorable” would be an accurate word to describe this procession!

Following the Children’s parade was the Daffodil Hat contest. Kids and adults competed with unique and creative hats decorated with daffodils.

I strolled back to Main Street for the auto staging again. More daffodil-decorated shops came into view. The colorful yellow flower arrangements were simply breath-taking! One shop’s windowsills displayed toy lambs among the daffodils.

All of the participating autos were now staged on Main Street. The crowd could visit each car and take a look at it up close. Bright colorful autos, dune buggies, and vans were among those displaying their finest daffodil decor. Front hoods, back hoods, car seats were all decorated to the nines!

One auto conveyed an ocean theme with its inflatable plastic whale on its rooftop.

Yet another one bore dancing daffodils on its roof! The auto parade had begun!

As each car drove around the corner of Main onto Centre Street, it paused so that the crowds could appreciate its beauty and uniqueness.

For lunch, I dined at Boarding House Restaurant (Boarding House Restaurant). They are vegan-friendly. My meal was a vegetable risotto topped with greens. This was really tasty!

A shuttle bus took me to another part of the island for the Garden Club’s Daffodil Show and contest. Daffodils in shades of white, pale yellow, and deep yellow were among the contestants.

Local schools had created daffodil displays based on certain given themes such as “A Day At The Beach”.

As the bus drove us back to town, I glanced through the window at the gorgeous display of daffodils in the nearby fields.

I strolled around Main Street for a while, admiring the daffodil displays in the shop windows, the park, and the homes.

Evening had arrived, so I headed to “Sushi By Yoshi”(Sushi By Yoshi Restaurant) for dinner. I selected the vegan maki combo of avocado, cucumber, and asparagus. My meal was filling and satisfying.

Time had arrived to board the ferry going back to Hyannis. Prior to doing so, I stopped by one of my favorite spots on the island to view the tranquil sea from Easy Street.

I really enjoyed my trip to Nantucket! The daffodil Festival is well worth the visit. The enticing displays of the colorful yellow flower; showcased in shop windows, on classic autos, on hats, and on children’s bicycles made for a spectacular day! My vegan meals pleased me as well. All in all, I had an amazing time at the Nantucket Daffodil Festival!