December 6th – 8th is the 50th annual Nantucket Christmas Stroll weekend. It is a magical time of year on the Island, filled with holiday cheer.
Many restaurants reopen for the weekend and the town is electric.
Friday: Head to The Whaling Museum at 13 Broad Street to see The Festival of Trees. Sponsored by The Nantucket Historical Association it is an exhibit of creatively decorated trees by local people and businesses.
Shopping is a must on Friday to beat the crowds. Most of your favorite shops are open all weekend. Some of my personal favorites include Stephanie's on 42 Main Street for clothing and fun home décor, Nalu on 14 Cambridge Street for clothing and custom Nantucket jewelry, and Craftmasters on 7 India Street for artisan made leather goods and other unique gifts. Craftmaster’s has been in business since 1974! My parents used to take us there to pick out a special leather belt and buckle when we would come to the Island for our summer vacation.
When you are worn out from shopping and ready for a sit-down lunch check out The Lemon Press at 41 Main Street or The Brotherhood on Broad Street. If grab and go is more your thing stop by The Lunch Counter at Nantucket Pharmacy on Main Street. Run by the folks at Island Kitchen, it sadly will be closing at the end of the year. The Hub on Main Street also offers prepared food to go as well as smoothies, coffee drinks, and baked goods.
The Artist’s Association is having an opening reception from 5-7 pm for their Holiday Small works at the Gallery at 19 Washington Street. Refreshments will be served.
Friday Night: Take a stroll downtown to see the beautifully lit trees and decorations. If you do not have a restaurant reservation stop by Ethos on 18 Broad Street. This fun wine bar has a great selection of wines and a farm to table Bistro menu. Grace and Emily at the front of the house will take good care of you with an extensive wine list and Zach will be behind the scenes in the kitchen. His grilled cheese is the best!
Another option is the Clam Shack at the Straight Wharf Fish Company located down by the Gazebo at the head of Straight Wharf. Lots of great seafood dishes and the bay scallops are locally caught and delicious!
St. Paul’s Church on 16 Fair Street is hosting a holiday concert featuring holiday classics as well as favorite carols and a sing a long! The doors open at 6:30 and the concert is from 7- 9 pm. For $25 you can also get dessert and some bubbly.
The Dreamland Theatre is hosting their 4th annual Stroll Party on the second floor of the theatre from 7-10 pm. The Hess Twins are the evening’s DJs and there will be dancing and light bites. It has sold out every year so be sure to secure tickets before you go.
Saturday: Downtown is the place to be! The Chamber of Commerce has a Stroll Marketplace in the Stop and Shop parking lot at 9 Salem Street from 10 am – 3 pm. The Marketplace offers a variety of food and beverages along with handcrafted gifts and unique Nantucket merchandise sold by Chamber members and non-profits. It’s a great place to do your holiday shopping!
Catch a glimpse of Santa as he arrives by boat at noon on Straight Wharf. He will be escorted through Town on a fire truck and available to greet people for a couple of hours.
Other fun activities include roaming carolers in Victorian garb, the Magical Talking Tree, craft shows etc. For a complete up to date list of all the weekends activities go to The Nantucket Chamber of Commerce at Zero Main Street (second floor) to pick up their 2024 Christmas Stroll Guide.
Saturday Night: If you don’t have a reservation for dinner, there are plenty of take-out options including Pi Pizzeria on 11 West Creek Road (call early as they get busy very quickly!) or Thai food from Siam at the Hive, located at the newly opened incubator kitchens on 5 Amelia Drive.
Live music options on Saturday night include The Gaslight at 3 N. Union Street as well as The Nantucket Hotel on Easton Street.
Sunday: Sunday mornings are not complete without a visit to Wicked Island Bakery at 7B Bayberry Court for a croissant (my favorite!) or a morning bun. Go early as they always sell out of these popular treats. After breakfast take a walk down to Brant Point Lighthouse to see the beautiful wreath which is a holiday tradition on Island and a great photo op!
Today is the last day to see the Theatre Workshop’s play Winter Street by Elin Hilderbrand at Bennett Hall on Centre Street. The show is at 1 pm.
And no trip to the Island would be complete without a stop at Cisco Brewers on 5 Bartlett Farm Road. There is shuttle bus service from the Visitor’s Service Center on Federal Street.
I hope you have a wonderful weekend on our special Island. Happy Holidays! 🎄
