Fourth of July on Nantucket
2019 is the third year in a row that the Town’s Main Street Fourth of July activities win the “Best of Nantucket” presented by the Inquirer and Mirror. And here’s why:
Watermelon and pie-eating contests, face painting, a dunk tank, a photo booth, bicycle-decorating contest, Matt Fee Tea Toss and a water fight (without water balloons) at noon: these are the activities that make up Nantucket’s annual Fourth of July celebration on Main Street. It all begins with the singing of the Star Spangled Banner and other patriotic songs at 10 am on the steps of the Pacific National Bank. And, as part of the Town’s effort to inform the public about the single-use plastic ban (effective June 1, 2020), the Office of Culture and Tourism will be distributing free aluminum water bottles in a collaboration with ReMain Nantucket. Stop by the corner of Main and Federal Streets and get yours while they last.
Here’s a gentle reminder about appropriate behavior during the water fight – please don’t bring water balloons and please don’t spray anyone smaller than yourself. Additionally, both your feet need to be on Main Street to participate in the water fight unless you’re a firefighter on the Town’s fire truck or a member of the Boynton Lane Fire Reserves. Have fun - Safely!
At 5 pm, the fun continues at Children’s Beach with games for children ages 6-12 including races that involve running, three-legs, potato sacks, and wheelbarrow style. The games conclude with the infamous Tug-of-War! Ribbons will be awarded to the winners of the games and races. The games are followed by a concert at the Children’s Beach bandstand.
The Fireworks will go off at 9 pm from a barge off Jetties Beach, on Friday, July 5th. The rain-date is Saturday, July 6th. Pack your picnic and head down to Jetties to enjoy the show and the finale to our fantastic, award-winning, traditional, and fun July 4th events. Or, make a dinner reservation at Sandbar at Jetties Beach and enjoy the pyrotechnics from their deck.
Safety Advice from Chief of Police William Pittman
We remind beach goers that glass containers are prohibited on all beaches. And, consumption of alcoholic beverages is prohibited on all public beaches. Underage consumption of alcohol is prohibited and will be enforced. Smoking of marijuana or use of other cannabis based products is not legal on public beaches and will be enforced. We want to remind all beach goers to only leave their footprints. Trash barrels and/or dumpsters are being placed at nearly all beaches. Please use them.
On beaches where driving is allowed, vehicles will be allowed to enter until police officers determine that it is no longer safe to have vehicles moving among large crowds. Parking is going to be significantly restricted in areas around the beaches, beach goers are urged to ride bikes or use public transportation to access their favorite beaches. The areas outlined in yellow will be designated No Parking. The dots represent Police information checkpoints.
Culture & Tourism Summer Activities
Children's Beach
From mid-June to mid-August, the department of Culture and Tourism sponsors games and activities for everyone at Children’s Beach. Offerings include yoga for adults and for children, weekly puppet show performances, an assortment of free family-friendly games and activities on the lawn, and the weekly tie-dye clinic. Stop by the Culture & Tourism office at 25 Federal Street to pick up a copy of the schedule or visit www.visitnantucketisland.org to download it.
Activities at Children’s Beach also include Friday Night Flix beginning at 6 pm with music by P.J. Moody and Movie-Themed Karaoke at 7 pm. The movies start at 8:30 pm in July and 8 pm in August. On Sunday evenings at 6 pm, the department offers a free concert. Come on over to Children’s Beach, pick up a bite to eat at The Hungry Minnow and have a great time!
Melville 200
Herman Melville, author of Moby Dick, was born on August 1, 1819. Eleven days later on August 12, the whaleship Essex left Nantucket for its fateful journey and encounter with a whale in the Pacific. Moby Dick is based on the story of The Essex. This summer, several non-profits, two restaurants, and department of Culture and Tourism have put together a variety of activities to acknowledge Melville’s birthday, the sailing of the Essex, and Moby Dick. There are exhibitions at the Whaling Museum and Hadwen House, the Artists Association of Nantucket will have a special show in August, the Lightship Basket Museum has a Moby Dick basket on display, and there will be a Melville symposium in August at the Quaker Meeting House.
But wait, there’s more! Throughout the months of July and August, you’ll have an opportunity to participate in “pop-up” Moby Dick readings. Ten podiums with a selection from Moby Dick will be placed around town and in Sconset. Visit each of the ten sites, take a selfie of yourself reading the selection and post it to Instagram using the hashtag #ACKMobyDick. Winners will be selected for a gift certificate to one of the participating restaurants: Queequegs and Or, The Whale.
A special thanks from the department of Culture and Tourism to our partners for helping to make Melville 200 an interesting and engaging series of events.
Brochures listing the calendar of events for the Melville 200 celebration are available at the Culture & Tourism office at 25 Federal Street or on our website at www.visitnantucketisland.org.
Information Bureau and Kiosks
Don’t forget to stop by and greet the friendly and knowledgeable information aides at 25 Federal Street, the kiosk on Straight Wharf, the Greenhound building, and at the desk at Nantucket Memorial Airport. They have information on activities, services, restaurants, lodging availability, and tours, as well as walking maps to give you a range of new and different ways to experience Nantucket: follow in the footsteps of Maria Mitchell or Herman Melville, take a self-guided tour of Nantucket’s trees, and pick up a new map for your next trip to Sconset (almost suitable for framing.)
Bring your re-usable water bottle and fill it at our water filling station – coldest water downtown.
Upcoming Event - 2019 Town of Nantucket Solid Waste Management Summit
July 11, 2019 6-8 PM @ Public Safety Building, 4 Fairgrounds Road, 1st Floor, Community Room.
In 2018, the Nantucket Select Board presented its Strategic Planning Framework, identifying Transportation, Housing, and Environmental Leadership as prioritized focus areas. From that plan, the first identified goal for Environmental Leadership is to ‘Provide data-driven recommendations on island-wide solid waste management guided by principles of sustainability’ by 2021. This goal’s aspirational statement is that ‘Nantucket residents and visitors share responsibility for the long-term sustainability of our beautiful island. We recognize our stewardship of the land, air, and water and work to ensure our community is resilient and self-sufficient. Other communities look to Nantucket to learn how to care for the natural environment.’
The Town of Nantucket, through its Department of Public Works, hereby requests comments from members of the public regarding the future of managing solid waste on Nantucket at the July 11th Solid Waste Management Summit. The Town seeks feedback from all entities including but not limited to: year-round and seasonal residents and businesses, institutions, private firms involved in waste collection/hauling, and all who share the Town’s goals for the long-term sustainability of our beautiful island through stewardship of our land, air, and water resources. Follow up sessions are anticipated monthly throughout the summer and fall.
The Town also encourages submittal of written comments. Please email feedback to DPW@nantucket-ma.gov, using the subject ‘Town Solid Waste Management System Comments,’ or mail comments to the Department of Public Works, 188 Madaket Road, Nantucket, MA 02554.
To provide a basis for comments on decisions facing the Town, please familiarize yourself with the information and resources on the Waste Summit webpage.
Focus areas for the Waste Summit include:
- Waste Streams
- Waste Collection/Hauling
- Solid Waste/Recycling/Landfill Facility
- Compost Program
- Existing and Emerging Waste Management Technologies
- Hazardous Waste Program
- Construction Site, Roadside, and Coastal Litter
We look forward to listening and engaging with you at this important information sharing session.