William and Catherine Hudgins, clarinet duo with pianist Jung-A Bang
August 12
The Black Oak Ensemble string trio
“MEET THE ARTISTS” - FREE, FUN & INFORMATIVE These informal events are held each Monday before the Tuesday concert at the Atheneum at 5:30 PM at their Great Hall and are FREE.
We’ll see you Tuesdays at 7pm in our new home, St. Paul’s Church Children under 18 free, + all students with a current ID All donations should be made to Nantucket Arts Council, memo line NMAS
Roberto Díaz, viola Hanchien Lee, piano
Island Calendar
Thursday, June 26
Nantucket Film Festival
Various locations around town. Through June 30. The 30th annual Nantucket Film Festival celebrates the art of screenwriting with five days of narrative and documentary films and signature programs like the Screenwriters Tribute, Ben Stiller’s Comedy Roundtable and Late Night Storytelling. Tickets and more information at www.nantucketfilmfestival.org
Shorebird Walk
9 a.m. Location upon registration. Nantucket Conservation Foundation wildlife technician Gracie Bell and staff lead this visit to an important breeding site, discuss nesting ecology the complex journey of protection. Open to all birding levels. Bring sunscreen, water, binoculars and walking shoes that could get wet. Space is limited. Free with registration, on calendar page of nantucketconservation.org.
Dance Party in the Garden
9:45 a.m. Atheneum Garden, 1 India St. Cory Morgan leads an energetic, joyfilled dance time for babies and children with songs, silly dance moves and fun challenges like Freeze Dance and the Cha-Cha Slide. Bring a blanket. Canceled in the event of inclement weather.
Behind the Seams
10 a.m.-5 p.m. daily, Nantucket Whaling Museum, 13 Broad St. Organized by the Nantucket Historical Association, “Behind the Seams: Clothing and Textiles on Nantucket” presents more than 150 objects from the NHA’s costume and textile collections to tell stories of making, meaning and island identity from across Nantucket history. Free with museum admission.
Historic Downtown Walking Tour
10:45 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. Monday-Saturday, Nantucket Whaling Museum, 13 Broad St. Walk through historic downtown Nantucket with a museum guide and discover the unique history of the
THURSDAY, PAGE 20
Photo by Jamie Cushman
The Nantucket Conservation Foundation’s Race for Open Space will be held Saturday morning at the Milestone Cranberry Bog off Milestone Road.
Lights, camera . . . Film Festival celebrates 30th
By Joshua Balling jballing@inkym.com
“Jaws @ 50,” a documentary examining the cultural impact of the iconic 1975 blockbuster, will be the centerpiece of the 2025 Nantucket Film Festival, celebrating its 30th year this week.
The documentary shares an authorized look inside the story of “Jaws,” from summer resident Peter Benchley’s epic novel to Steven Spielberg’s film, as it continues to influence pop culture, cinema and shark conservation five decades after it first appeared in theaters and kept a generation of swimmers out of the water for a summer.
It screened Tuesday night, one day before the official opening of the festival, and will be shown again Saturday at 7 p.m. in the Dreamland’s studio theater.
Founded by brother and sister Jonathan and Jill Burkhart, who grew up on the island, the Nantucket Film Festival’s mission is to celebrate the vast diversity of human experience through the art of screenwriting and storytelling.
“For our 30th anniversary, we wanted to create a program that not only cel-
ebrates the craft of screenwriting and storytelling but also reflects the moment we’re living in: bold, urgent and deeply human,” executive director Mystelle Brabbée said. “This year’s lineup is a dynamic tribute to storytelling’s power to entertain, challenge and connect us all.”
The festival officially opened Wednesday with a pair of fiction and nonfiction features, both Audience Award winners at the Sundance Film Festival: “Twinless,” which stars James Sweeney and Dylan O’Brien in a story about two young men who meet in a twin bereavement support group and form an unlikely friendship; and “Prime Minister,” which offers an inside look at the life of former New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, capturing her through five tumultuous years in power and beyond as she redefined leadership on the world stage.
You can also catch “Twinless” at 8 p.m. Friday in the Dreamland’s main theater. “Prime Minister” will screen again at 4 p.m. Saturday in the Dreamland’s main theater.
The festival will close Sunday with “Speak,” a documentary that follows ambitious teen orators honing their craft through dedication and artistry as they
PAGE 16
Edith Blake
A film crew examines “Bruce,” the mechanical shark on the set of “Jaws.” The documentary “Jaws @ 50” is the centerpiece film of the 2025 Nantucket Film Festival.
Courtesy of Nantucket Film Festival
“Prime Minister” was one of two-opening night films at this week’s 30th Nantucket Film Festival. It will screen again Saturday.
JULY 4 TH TOWN OF NANTUCKET ACTIVITIES
Three Great Locations on One Great Day!
On Friday, July 4th, the Town of Nantucket will offer activities to celebrate the nation’s Independence Day. Locations include the Main Street area, Children’s Beach, and Jetties Beach.
MAIN ST. AREA
8:30am - 12:30pm, Sustainable Nantucket’s Farmer’s Market, Cambridge Street between Federal and South Water Streets.
8:30am-12:30pm, Food trucks will be located on Federal Street between Main and India Streets.
9:00am, 26th Anniversary Reading of the Declaration of Independence at Unitarian Universalist Church, 11 Orange St.
10:00am-12:30pm, DJ Scott Capizzo on Federal Street.
10:30am, Water competition between Nantucket Fire Department and Boynton Lane Reserves. The public should expect to get wet within the “Spray Zone” and will be limited in participating in handling the fire hoses of both Fire Companies, but not in the fun of getting wet. Both firetrucks will compete for bragging rights to fill 55-gallon drums with water! Attendees are asked to refrain from bringing water balloons, soakers and other ‘water competition’ materials.
CHILDREN’S BEACH
10:00am - 10:20am, P.J. Moody sings the National Anthem and other patriotic music, Children’s Beach bandstand.
10:00am-Noon, Matt Fee Tea Toss, lawn in front of bandstand.
Cornhole Tournament, lawn in front of bandstand. Face Painting, corner lawn near boat ramp and corner near playground.
10:30am – 11:00am, Nanpuppets puppet show on the bandstand.
11:15am – 11:45am, Magic Mark on the bandstand.
11:55am, Bike parade around the park.
Noon – 12:30pm, P.J. Moody returns to sing on the bandstand.
NOTICE: Activities, locations and times may be subject to change or cancel at the last minute.
JETTIES BEACH
9:00pm, Fireworks. The show lasts approximately 25-27 minutes and is shot from a barge just offshore. Public Transportation to Jetties Beach
Starting at 6:00 PM, NRTA Wave buses will depart every 10–15 minutes from in front of Town Hall at 16 Broad Street and will return from Jetties Beach after the fireworks until 10:30 PM.
Attendees are strongly encouraged to use alternative modes of transportation, such as the free NRTA bus service, as parking in the Jetties Beach area is extremely limited.
For more information, visit Nantucket-ma.gov/july4
The return of Easy Street Restaurant
By Francesca Giangiulio fgiangiulio@inkym.com
The corner of Easy Street and Broad Street is finally home to a restaurant again, after nearly a decade of vacancy, minus a few random retail stints.
Easy Street Restaurant opened in May and has quickly become a hit.
“Everybody’s loving us. They love the vibe, they love how open we are. Lots of local people, you know. We are in a community, we want to serve the community,” said Milan Basnet, the owner, manager and all around jack-of-all-trades at Easy Street.
“We want the people to trust us. We want to give them an option where they can go any time of day. Very reasonable but very good food, quality food, reasonable price. So far we’ve been getting great feedback from everybody and we’re loving it. That’s what keeps us going.”
Basnet arrived on Nantucket in 2022. His fiancee, Rekha Chhettri, was a nurse at Nantucket Cottage Hospital for the summer.
“I loved it. I got off the Hy-Line on a nice summer day like this, it’s like, there’s no place like this,” Basnet said.
Chhettri not only introduced Basnet to the island, she also played a large role in designing the restaurant. Besides a few details, the entire interior design was Ch-
Let’s Eat!
hettri’s vision. She wanted it to be Nantucket-focused, but with a modern twist. A little different from what you normally see on the island.
The clean, simple aesthetic lets you focus on the beauty of Nantucket just outside the many windows and skylights. While you eat, you have views of the new Easy Street Park, the harbor and the always entertaining people-watching on Broad and Easy Streets.
The downstairs space is lively and energetic, while the upstairs speakeasy offers a more cozy, relaxing atmosphere with dark green plush couches and armchairs.
The name Easy Street Restaurant might sound familiar. Another restaurant by the same name occupied the space from the 1970s through the mid1990s. After that, it was Schooner’s, a seafood restaurant that served the island in the 2000s. For a few brief moments in 2016 and 2019, the building housed Town Pool, now on Main Street.
“I lived in Boston for almost two decades and coming from Boston to here, this looks like a different country. It’s so unique,” Basnet said. “It feels very taken care of, preserved. I’ve always liked that kind of stuff, small-town vibe, and this
Photo by Francesca Giangiulio
Proprietor Milan Basnet describes Easy Street Restaurant’s menu as “experimental,” its dishes spanning the globe.
Photo by Francesca Giangiulio
There are plenty of traditional classics, too, like fried chicken sandwiches, tater tots and ice cream sundaes on the menu.
Photo by Francesca Giangiulio
The Easy Street menu includes the seafood you would expect on Nantucket, but is full of surprises, like guacamole, poutine and pineapple fried rice.
building being a historic building, it’s like a dream come true.”
The building at 31 Easy St. has been around since 1900, making it 125 years old, according to the town’s property records.
Despite these historic roots, the menu at Easy Street Restaurant 2.0 is anything but old and certainly not boring.
Basnet described the cuisine as “experimental.”
“Our menus can be different, we can play around with different dishes,” he said. “Right now, we’re having the problem where everyone likes everything, so we can’t decide anything to take out. But we can be experimental, bringing in new cuisines and new influences and different cultures. We just want to get better every day.”
Originally from Nepal, Basnet said he wants to try bringing some of its flavors to the menu. He mentioned featuring momo as a special appetizer, a Nepalese dumpling known for its thin wrappers, spicepacked meat and served with a pickled sauce called achar.
In its current form, the menu circles the globe with everything from guacamole, poutine, and shrimp cocktail to pork bahn mi, burgers, pineapple fried rice and pasta bolognese.
The tableside guacamole is as fresh as it gets, prepared right in front of you. You
watch the limes being squeezed and the avocados getting cut. It’s sweeter than you would expect, but the chips provide a good salty balance.
The bang bang shrimp po’boy is served on fresh Nantucket Bake Shop bread and is loaded with massive shrimp from Nantucket Seafood. The bang bang sauce adds a little kick but doesn’t overpower.
The fried chicken sandwich isn’t your traditional Southern-style. It’s panko-crusted for a lighter, crispier feel, and it’s topped with kimchi and gochujang aioli. A fresh, Asian take on an American classic.
Both sandwiches come with a choice of french fries or tater tots and the house B+B pickles.
Head chef Chris Lees said he’s been perfecting his pickle recipe for over a decade. The recipe isn’t proprietary, but he couldn’t give away all his secrets.
“It doesn’t have any of the normal pickle things. No peppercorns, no dill, no bay leaves,” Lees said. “The pickles really focus on citrus and thyme. The thyme definitely carries it.”
Lees has experience in fine dining and worked at Straight Wharf Restaurant in 2018. He described the cuisine at Easy Street as “scratch-made casual without being stuffy.”
EAT, PAGE 19
Courtesy of Easy Street Restaurant
Easy Street prides itself on using the freshest ingredients.
Felly trades beats for guitars on new folk-rock album
By Kendall Graham kgraham@inkym.com
Musician and producer Felly has traded drum-laden hip-hop beats and high-energy raps for acoustic southern rock and bluesy, introspective lyrics.
The Connecticut-born, Los Angeles-based singer-songwriter will release his new album, “Ambroxyde,” this Friday.
The album shows Felly distancing himself from the rapper persona with which he began his career, and shifting more toward rock and folk styles.
When The Inquirer and Mirror spoke to Felly last summer, the musician said he had learned to play acoustic guitar
and wanted to put more focus into his songwriting.
“I still love blending (all) those styles,” Felly said. “But a great song that can hold on an acoustic guitar, nothing beats that.”
“Ambroxyde” was written and recorded at several locations across the world, from Iceland to Greece, from the desert of Joshua Tree to several ranches in Texas.
The title refers to a synthetic molecule found in perfume and, in Felly’s words, the scent memories that carry us from one stage of life into the next.
Felly made his Nantucket debut last
June at The Chicken Box. He will return to the iconic island nightclub for two performances Tuesday and Wednesday.
Learning how to play guitar both expanded his music capabilities and changed the kind of music he wanted to make.
In an interview with Paste Magazine this spring, Felly said his whole approach to songwriting was different for “Ambroxyde.”
“I intentionally made myself uncomfortable,” he said.
“I think I was too used to, or bored of, going into sessions, making a beat or putting vocals on it, and having a finished song. For this record, I started with just (myself) and an acoustic, and worked out
the lyrics over time, knowing it would eventually be brought to a band and recorded.”
Felly started out in high school creating original beats for himself to rap over. He began sampling records from his vinyl collection, writing his own lyrics to put over them, and uploading the songs to YouTube.
He played his first show at 16, opening for critically-acclaimed hip-hop producer Madlib, whose credits include Kanye West, Erykah Badu and Talib Kweli.
“It felt intimidating because I was so new and Madlib is this respected legend,” Felly told The Inquirer and Mirror. “I was
Courtesy of Felly
Felly, right foreground, and his bandmates. He plays The Chicken Box Tuesday and Wednesday.
MusACK
Susan Glasser Peter Baker
Peter Panchy
Chris Matthews
The twisted psychology of wine pricing
By Peter McEachern I&M Columnist
Picture this: You’re standing in the wine aisle, scanning the shelves for something to bring to dinner at a friend’s house. Your eyes drift past the $12 bottles –too cheap, surely – and land on a $35 Cabernet with an elegant label.
Without even reading the back, you reach for it, confident you’ve made a sophisticated choice. But what if I told you that the $12 bottle sitting just inches away might actually taste better?
Welcome to the fascinating world of wine pricing psychology, where our brains play elaborate tricks on our taste buds, and the price tag becomes as influential as the vintage itself.
The mental shortcut that costs us
Our brains are constantly looking for shortcuts to make decisions easier, and
when it comes to wine, price serves as our most reliable cue for quality, or so we think. This phenomenon, known as the price-quality heuristic, is so deeply ingrained that it affects what we buy and how we taste.
In a groundbreaking study at Stanford University, researchers served the same wine to participants at two different price points: $10 and $90.
Not only did people rate the “expensive” wine more enjoyable, but brain scans revealed increased activity in the areas associated with pleasure when drinking the supposedly pricier pour.
The wine was identical. Only the price had changed, yet their brains created a genuinely different tasting experience.
This isn’t about being gullible or unsophisticated. It’s about how our expectations shape our reality. When we expect
Courtesy of Peter McEachern
The more expensive bottle of wine might not be the better one, although our brains often trick us into thinking it is.
Courtesy of Peter McEachern
Blind tastings are the best way to determine the best wine for your palate.
Wine Cellar
something to taste better, our brain obligingly delivers that experience, even manufacturing pleasure where none might exist based on the wine alone.
The sweet spot strategy
Walk into any restaurant and observe the wine ordering patterns. Most diners avoid the cheapest and most expensive options, gravitating toward something in the middle, often the second- or third-cheapest bottle on the list.
This behavior, known as the “Goldilocks effect,” plays directly into restaurateurs’ hands.
Smart wine buyers know the second-cheapest wine on a restaurant list often carries the highest markup. Restaurants count on our reluctance to appear cheap while avoiding the sticker shock of premium bottles.
The result? We consistently overpay for wines that may offer no better quality than their less expensive neighbors.
When expensive becomes the anchor
The presence of ultra-premium wines serves another psychological function: they make everything else seem reasonable by comparison.
This anchoring bias means that a $200
bottle on the shelf makes a $50 wine appear moderate, even though that same $50 bottle might have seemed expensive in isolation.
Wine retailers understand this dynamic perfectly. They stock a selection of highpriced bottles, not necessarily expecting
to sell them regularly but knowing they’ll make the rest of their inventory appear more affordable. That $30 bottle looks like a bargain when sitting next to a $120 Burgundy.
Price isn’t the only factor influencing our perception of wine quality. Every-
thing from label design to bottle weight contributes to our quality assumptions.
Heavy bottles suggest substance and craftsmanship, while elegant typography implies sophistication.
These visual cues work in tandem with price to create a complete quality narrative in our minds.
The wine industry has mastered this psychological manipulation. Premium brands invest heavily in packaging that conveys luxury.
At the same time, budget wines increasingly adopt the visual language of their expensive counterparts. The result is a marketplace where appearance and price matter more than what’s in the bottle.
Blind tastings tell a different story
Strip away the labels, the prices and the preconceptions and a fascinating picture emerges. Blind tastings consistently reveal that expensive wines don’t always triumph over their affordable counterparts.
In fact, several studies have shown that when price information is removed, people often prefer less expensive wines.
One particularly revealing study involved wine experts tasting over 3,000 wines blind. The results showed no
CELLAR, PAGE 19
Courtesy of Peter McEachern
Tucked away downtown: The history of Stone Alley
By Fran Karttunen Contributing Writer
Stone Alley is a cobbled passage with a few steps midway as it descends from Orange Street down to Union Street.
For many decades, the view up Stone Alley to the tower of the Unitarian Church with the town clock and its famous Portuguese bell was just as representative of Nantucket as the Old Mill.
The scene was reproduced on souvenir tiles, plates and silver spoons on offer to summer visitors in the shops that lined Centre Street’s Petticoat Row.
Back in the 1880s Henry C. Platt, William C. Coffin, David Cullen Griggs and Clara E. Pitman, early photographers on Nantucket, reproduced the scene on post-
From the Museum
cards.
They were joined a bit later by photographers Henry S. Wyer, James F. Barker, Maurice Boyer, John W. Macy, Alanson S. Barney and H. Marshall Gardiner producing yet more popular postcards.
Gardiner is well known for his hand-colored postcards, but William C. Coffin had produced a hand-colored image of Stone Alley already in the 1890s.
Gardiner manipulated his images in other ways as well. One of his Stone Alley postcards features hand-drawn plants flanking the steps in the alley. Soon genuine plants appeared. Beautified by hol-
lyhocks lining its side, Stone Alley had become iconic of Nantucket.
Artists followed the photographers’ lead, with works by, among others, James Walter Folger, J.B, Reed, Ruth Haviland Sutton, W.O. Stevens, Mary Cowees Clark and Robert Brooks.
Purchasers of their works carried them far and wide. A letter to the editor of The Inquirer and Mirror in 1914 boasted of a watercolor painting of Stone Alley in the possession of the writer in California.
The oldest remaining house on Stone Alley is a double house known as the Solomon and Paul Gardner house. It was built on the ridge of Quanaty Bank (or Long Hill) in 1720. This was a decade before Quanaty Bank was excavated for fill for the wetlands between the bank and
the harbor, thereby making room along its steep new face for Union Street.
The correspondent who wrote to The Inquirer and Mirror about his watercolor painting of Stone Alley also related that, “The bluff between Orange and Union Streets, now terraced and built up, was called by the children of past years ‘the jumping hill’ because it was a sandy cliff, just right to slide and jump down.”
In 1750 the house at the top of the bank was expanded. Today the address is 1-3 Stone Alley. Generations of related families have occupied the house.
Among them was Clinton Parker (1854–1932), who followed his father into the blacksmith business and whose shop on Straight Wharf passed on at his retirement to fellow blacksmith Aquila Cormie.
Courtesy of Nantucket Historical Association
Stone Alley between Orange and Union street with the steeple and clock tower of the Unitarian Meeting House at the top of the hill.
Clinton Parker was famed for his knowledge of Nantucket’s whaling captains. According to his obituary, “He was never a seafaring man, but he was associated with seafaring men, and his memory was reliable and authentic.”
A widower, Clinton Parker had four daughters. The oldest, Clara Parker (1877–1970), had her own remarkable history.
In 1898 she was hired as assistant librarian of the Nantucket Atheneum, and in 1906 she became head librarian, a position she occupied for 50 years, serving three generations of Nantucket readers.
Upon her retirement she was named librarian emerita. She had been only the third librarian of the Atheneum in over 100 years of its history.
Clinton Parker remarried, and in 1920 his wife Harriet and daughter Clara, both resident at 1 Stone Alley, were listed together in The Inquirer and Mirror as two of 69 Nantucket women registered as “New Voters.”
Clinton and Harriet had three distinguished grandchildren: Nantucket fisherman George Andrews, naturalist and author Clinton Andrews and Barbara Andrews, yet another Atheneum librarian. Across the alley is the Upton House, named for George P. Upton, who lived on Nantucket 1821–1846. Yet another Stone Alley house was the James Law House.
That house was moved to Hulbert Avenue in 1883 and replaced with a new house built by James H. Gibbs, bell ringer for the nearby town clock.
The alley was a subject for nostalgic art well into the mid-20th century, but that art was increasingly retrospective. In 1939, The Inquirer and Mirror carried a vintage photo with the caption, “Stone Alley before poles and wires spoiled the picture.”
Not only were there utility poles, but a sewer line had been installed under Stone Alley to serve the houses located across the alley from each other just before the steps and even one down on Union Street.
Over time there has been significant degradation of the alley. The cobbles of the section from the steps down to Union Street have suffered from lack of maintenance and become treacherous.
There are no hollyhocks, and bushes have grown up to obstruct the view of the town clock.
In 1954 plans by the town to somehow modernize Stone Alley inspired an editorial in The Inquirer and Mirror and a letter to the editor from Washington D.C. calling for the alley to be left just as it was.
Twenty years later the Nantucket Garden Club carried out a cleanup of Stone Alley, cutting back overgrown ivy, raking
MUSEUM, PAGE 18
“Not If I See You First” fierce and beautiful
By Genevieve Frable Contributing Writer
Parker Grant is smart with a no-nonsense attitude and one of the things she loves most about being blind is not seeing how people react to what she says.
“Not If I See You First” is an extraordinary, fierce and beautiful first novel by Eric Lindstrom.
It is a work of contemporary fiction with just enough romance to keep things interesting, but not so much that the entire story is devoted to it, just as “real” life works.
Reading it is a breath of fresh air. The characters are well developed, human and relatable, and while it deals with themes of grief, complicated relationships and letting go, it is also humorous, honest and joyful.
Although set during Parker’s junior year of high school, there is somehow a sense of agelessness stemming from the wisdom of both the narrative and the main character herself that helps a wide range of readers to connect and relate. It has been three months since her father died and Parker’s Aunt Celia, Uncle Sam and cousins Sheila and Petey have uprooted their own lives in another town to move in with her.
School is starting up again so not only is she adjusting to a new family at home, but new voices and people in class as a neighboring high school has just merged with her own, bringing with the throngs of students Scot Kilpatrick, one of her childhood best friends and her first love.
Parker has 11 hard rules regarding her blindness that help establish boundaries with the most important tacked onto the end: “#INFINITY, there are NO second chances. Violate my trust and I will never trust you again.”
But maybe some rules have to be broken, because avoiding the past entirely is impossible and giving herself gold stars for every day she hasn’t cried since her father’s death can only last so long before the grief becomes overwhelming.
lationships portrayed. With her young cousin Petey, Parker shares an easy camaraderie. With Petey’s older sister Sheila, who is Parker’s own age, she shares a more closed off and volatile relationship.
Her relationship with Aunt Celia portrays the struggle that comes with a sudden thrust into parenting and authority, especially when Celia does not know how to approach or live with Parker’s blindness.
Sarah is Parker’s closest and most loyal friend while Scot represents a lost relationship of the past. Faith is one of those friends that has always been there for Parker through the hard stuff, but they otherwise move in different social circles, while Molly and Jason offer the chance for new relationships.
This broad scope of representation makes the fictional story believable and complete.
The strongest part of this book is the brilliant use of perspective. Parker is undoubtedly the narrator of this story, told in the first person, but without changing voices Lindstrom manages to give the perspectives of the other main characters
in the story as she grows and hears them.
This lets the reader form a deep connection with not just the main character, but also with those who play a significant role in her life.
Every important relationship evolves throughout the book, leading to a conclu-
sive and heartwarming end. We never know the hardships that another has gone through or what they are living with now and this story is a powerful reminder of the importance of taking the view not taken and seeing others for who they are.
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Eric Lindstrom
Good Reads
Squam Swamp a lush and verdant oasis
By Neil Foley I&M Columnist
June showers drizzle gently every few days and the hazy summer settles in.
Lush lawns across the neighborhood grow faster than they can be mowed. My tomato plants are happy, but it would be nice to see a weekend without the need for raincoats.
The wetlands around the island drink deep on rainy days, making up for lost precipitation and drought-filled summers of the last few years.
To see a habitat appreciate this rain fully, take a trip up Wauwinet Road to Squam Swamp.
Swamps are wetlands dominated by trees, so keep reverence for these structural stalwarts as you duck beneath the red maple limb across the start of the path.
Venture into the vibrant hardwood forest and wetland complex where groundwater seepage can be found across the 210 acres of Squam Swamp and the adjacent 290 acres of Squam Farm.
Forests hold so many lessons on the importance of community, sharing space
with others for mutual benefit and finding your niche in a noisy world.
These lessons have been expounded upon in much larger forms through books like “The Overstory,” “The Secret Life of Trees,” “Braiding Sweetgrass” and others.
But forests can also be a place defined by opposites: serenity and strife, decay and rebirth and slow-growing stability vs. hasty and dynamic expansion.
In this property dominated by clonal trees, the sturdy paragon of slow-andsteady wins the race, small perennial plants that hide their complex roots can still find a place to grow and create a lasting colony.
Tiny parasols of wild sarsaparilla shield their fireworks clusters of tiny flowers from the rain, saving them for pollination.
Their deep taproots allow them to spread more each year, making a larger footprint in the shade of the understory.
Photo by Neil Foley
A beech grove in the heart of Squam Swamp.
Photo by Neil Foley
Walk with Neil
NFF: 30th Nantucket Film Festival celebrates art of screenwriting
(Continued from page 4)
prepare to showcase their talents on the ultimate stage. A special encore screening will be held Monday in the Dreamland’s studio theater.
“This year’s slate of films continues to celebrate bold and independent voices close to home and across the world,” senior programmer Basil Tsiokos said. “We invite our audiences to explore a wide range of work that honors the power of storytelling, and, in turn, our shared humanity over the course of our six-day, highly curated festival.”
More than 50 features and short films are included in the 2025 lineup.
This year’s Spotlight program includes “Tow,” based on a true story and directed by Stephanie Laing, which follows Amanda (Rose Byrne), an unhoused woman whose only refuge is her 1991 Toyota Corolla, until it’s stolen, towed and then held hostage for $21,634. It will screen at 10 a.m. today and 1 p.m. Saturday in the Dreamland’s main theater.
Also in the Spotlight program are Georgi M. Unkovski’s, “DJ Ahmet,” set in a remote North Macedonian village, in which 15-year-old Ahmet finds solace in music amidst the strictures of tradition and family expectations, screening at 730 p.m. Friday in the Dreamland’s Main Theater and 1:45 p.m. Sunday at the Nantucket Performing Arts Center; and Kino Lorber’s “Marlee Matlin: Not Alone Anymore,” which explores the emotional journey and career of Academy award-winning actress Marlee Matlin, screening at 1 p.m. today in the Dreamland’s main theater and 4:30 p.m. Saturday at the Nantucket Performing Arts Center.
Honorees
Academy Award-nominated writer, director and producer Tony Gilroy will be
honored at the festival’s Screenwriters Tribute, hosted by Michael Ian Black, with the Visionary Storyteller Award, recognizing his over three-decade-long career.
Gilroy is the creator, writer, executive producer and showrunner of the Emmy-nominated series “Andor” and cowrote 2016’s “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story.”
In 2024, he was honored with the Writers Guild of America East’s Ian McLellan Hunter Award for Career Achievement, recognizing his enduring contributions to the craft of screenwriting.
Gilroy’s past credits include writing
the original “Bourne” film and the succeeding installments in the franchise as well as Oscar-nominated work as writer and director of “Michael Clayton.”
Past recipients of the award include Noah Baumbach, Nicole Holofcener, Barry Jenkins, Nancy Meyers, Tom McCarthy, Judd Apatow, Barry Levinson and Charlie Kaufman.
Oscar and Emmy Award-winning director Alex Gibney will be honored with the Special Achievement in Documentary Storytelling Award.
Gibney is known for his incisive storytelling and fearless exploration of complex subjects from politics and corporate
corruption to human rights and technology, in “Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room,” “Going Clear” and “Citizen K.”
Previous award recipients include Ken Burns and Lynn Novick, Ramin Bahrani, Barbara Kopple, Liz Garbus, Rory Kennedy, Morgan Neville, Davis Guggenheim and Heidi Ewing and Rachel Grady. Emmy-nominated writer, director and producer Joanna Calo will receive the Special Achievement in Television Writing Award to celebrate her dynamic storytelling and innovative contributions to television.
As co-creator and showrunner of “The Bear,” she has garnered widespread acclaim, earning multiple awards including a Primetime Emmy for Outstanding Comedy Series.
Her diverse portfolio also includes work on “BoJack Horseman,” “Hacks” and “Beef.”
Past recipients of the award include Kerry Ehrin, Amy Sherman-Palladino and Daniel Palladino, David Crane and Jeffrey Klarik, and Beau Willimon.
Signature programs
The All-Star Comedy Roundtable presented by Emmy-winner Ben Stiller, who grew up summers on the island, returns to the festival this year Saturday at Nantucket High School, featuring comedian and actress Iliza Shlesinger; host and writer of Peacock’s Emmy-nominated “The Amber Ruffin Show,” Amber Ruffin, known for her incisive and boundary-pushing take on politics, race and culture; comedian, actor and screenwriter Mae Martin, the award-winning creator of “Feel Good,” who offers an intimate and genre-bending approach to comedy, blending stand-up and storytelling; and Zach Cherry, star of “Severance” and “You.”
Photo by Greg Cotten
Dylan O’Brien and James Sweeney in “Twinless,” which co-opened the Nantucket Film Festival June 25 with “Prime Minister.” It screens again Friday.
Courtesy of Nantucket Film Festival
“The Librarians” will be featured in one of the festival’s Deep Dive Screening + Talk presentations.
Courtesy of Nantucket Film Festival Best-selling island author Elin Hilderbrand.
Courtesy of Nantucket Film Festival Ben Stiller
Late Night Storytelling, tonight at the Sconset Casino, features a group of handpicked storytellers who will share lively personal tales highlighting this year’s anniversary theme, “Dirty Thirty,” hosted by comedian Ophira Eisenberg.
At “Morning Coffee With . . .,” festival audiences begin their day alongside writers, actors, directors and producers discussing their current work and careers.
New this year, the festival will host a series of Deep Dive Screening + Talk presentations.
Featured events include centerpiece film “Jaws @ 50: The Definitive Inside Story,” with a screening followed by an onstage conversation with Wendy Benchley, widow of “Jaws” author Peter Benchley, and Justin Falvey, the documentary’s producer; a live podcast recording of “The Backroom” with Andy Ostroy and Alex Gibney, which offers a humorous, honest take on politics and pop culture; a screening of “The Librarians” followed by an onstage conversation with filmmaker Kim A. Snyder, producer Maria Cuomo Cole and New Jersey Librarian of the Year 2023 Martha Hicks; and a conversation between Oscar-nominated writer/directors Gilroy and Scott Frank (the upcoming Netflix series “Dept Q”), where they will delve into their careers from film to their recent success on television.
Filmmaker and past festival honoree
Ken Burns returns with an exclusive first look at “The American Revolution,” his forthcoming six-part, 12-hour documentary series premiering Nov. 16 on PBS.
The series delves into the nation’s founding struggle and the eight-year war for independence.
Following the preview, Burns will be joined in conversation by National Book Award-winning island author Nathaniel
Philbrick to discuss the making of the series and the enduring impact of the American Revolution
The festival will also present Flipping the Script: Bestsellers to Screen with Elin Hilderbrand’s Nantucket Stories, a special garden brunch celebrating the island author’s deep ties to Nantucket and the expanding world of screen adaptations drawn from her bestselling novels.
The event will spotlight “The Five-Star Weekend,” currently in development as a series at Peacock starring and executive produced by Jennifer Garner, as well as “The Perfect Couple,” a Netflix limited series whose first season premiered in 2024 and whose second season is currently in development, and “Winter Street,” Hilderbrand’s holiday tale, also in development at Netflix.
Joining Hilderbrand for the conversation will be screenwriter Bekah Brunstetter (“This Is Us,” “Maid”), UCP executive vice president Jen Gwartz (“Ted,” “Suits: LA”), NBCUniversal president of scripted content Lisa Katz (“Poker Face”) and Sue Naegle, founder of Dinner Party Productions and former president of HBO (“Game of Thrones,” “Girls”).
Also joining are Jenna Lamia, showrunner and writer of season one of “The Perfect Couple” and “Winter Street,” and Calo, co-creator of “The Bear” and showrunner/writer of season two of “The Perfect Couple.”
For more information or to purchase festival passes and ticket packages, visit www.nantucketfilmfestival.org
The Inquirer and Mirror is the local media partner of the Nantucket Film Festival.
the musical about the jam session that rocked the world the music of Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis and Carl Perkins
July 9 to August 23
theatrenantucket.org
Courtesy of Nantucket Film Festival “Speak” will close the 2025 Nantucket Film Festival June 30.
Walk: Squam Swamp a lush and verdant oasis off the beaten path
(Continued from page 15)
Jack-in-the-pulpits emerge in small colonies grounded by corms (or tubers), with each plant bearing a pitcher-shaped modified leaf (pulpit) which encloses its flower structure called a spadix or Jack. The pulpit is paired with a three-leaved stalk for more traditional photosynthetic needs.
Though this plant lacks the traits that most people would ascribe to a flower –brightly-colored petals or sweet aromas – it advertises itself to a gnats using the smell of fungus and decay.
Once in the pulpit, the gnats can only
Museum: The
(Continued from page 13)
leave through a carefully arranged exit at the bottom after brushing against the Jack and transferring pollen.
While humans may cultivate and celebrate the aesthetics of more showy flowers, I appreciate the methodical and inspired ways that this plant gets itself pollinated.
Look up the wavy trunks of the tupelo trees into the bright green leaves of their crown, which just barely touch the branches of their neighbor.
A characteristic known as ‘crown shyness, which prevents individual trunks of
this clonal species from shading out, or being shaded by, their nearest neighbor (that is actually their identical twin).
While looking up, listen to red-eyed vireos calling melodically from the canopy.
From their high perch, these small insect-eating birds lilt a broken melody in a sing-song rhythmic pattern, filling the forest below with a cadence that sounds to me like “Here I am . . . up here . . . in a tree . . . see me?”
The rainy start of June has brought the verdant understory of the hardwood forest to life. Eastern garter snakes dodge
the raindrops and try to stay dry among the muddy forest floor, awaiting a break in the cloudy cover to bask and digest.
Mugginess settles in on this trail underneath the sun-dappled canopies, insulated in many ways from the southeast winds off the harbor, from the trappings of modern distractions, and from cares of the world.
We all need a place like this to insulate ourselves from time to time.
Neil Foley is the interpretive education coordinator and ecologist at the Nantucket Conservation Foundation.
mysterious history of downtown’s Stone Alley
up wet leaves, weeding among the cobbles and gathering a great deal of broken glass left behind by people who took advantage of the unlighted alley for nighttime drinking.
The call for Stone Alley to be preserved continues to resonate among people who know and cherish the place.
Brush cutting could restore a sight line to the town clock. Efforts to plant holly-
hocks have yet to meet with success. The cobbles need attention. Yet it is not at all clear who is responsible for Stone Alley and therein lies a mystery.
In assessor Isaac Coffin’s 1799 list of streets and ways in the Town of Nantucket, there is no mention of Stone Alley, although many other little lanes, alleys and courts do make the list.
According to Merle Turner, writing in 1929, the earlier name of Stone Alley was Gunter’s Alley, but Gunter’s Alley does
not appear in the 1799 list either. Nonetheless, by the 1820s the foot of Stone Alley repeatedly appears in Nantucket newspapers as a location on Union Street.
Turner cryptically remarks that the alley was “opened after 1800.” Yet houses built on the alley in the 1700s must have had access from Orange Street.
Perhaps Turner meant that the way down from where the old houses are located to Union Street was opened after
1800, and possibly that date follows from the fact that the alley does not appear on the 1799 street list.
Ultimately the 1799 streets were grandfathered as public ways for which the Town of Nantucket is responsible. Since then additional streets have been laid out, taken and registered. But Stone Alley, so significant a part of Nantucket’s history and popular culture, remains in limbo and thereby vulnerable.
Learn more at www.nha.org
Photo by Neil Foley
Delicate wild sarsaparilla flowers hide under a canopy of leaves.
Cellar: The twisted and very real psychology of wine pricing
(Continued from page 11)
correlation between price and wine ratings under $50.
Even more surprising, wines priced between $10-$20 often scored higher than those in the $20-$50 range.
Professional competitions further support this finding. Medals are regularly awarded to wines costing under $15 at the International Wine Challenge, sometimes outperforming bottles 10 times their price.
Yet these same wines struggle to gain recognition in the marketplace, where their modest price tags work against them.
The neurological reality
Brain imaging technology has revealed how deeply price affects our wine experience. When people believe they’re drinking expensive wine, areas of the brain as-
MusACK:
sociated with reward and pleasure show increased activity.
This isn’t merely psychological, it’s neurological. Our brains literally create a more pleasurable experience based on price expectations.
This finding has profound implications for how we think about wine value. If a $15 bottle tastes like a $50 bottle because we believe it costs $50, which price represents its “true” value? The question becomes philosophical as much as economic.
Understanding these psychological biases is the first step toward overcoming them. Here are practical strategies for finding great wine regardless of price:
• Focus on blind tasting whenever possible. Cover bottles or have someone else pour without revealing prices. Your preferences might surprise you when price is removed from the equation.
• Explore wine regions and grape varieties that have yet to command premi-
um prices. Portuguese reds, Greek whites and wines from emerging American regions often offer exceptional value precisely because they haven’t developed expensive reputations.
• Pay attention to technical details rather than price. Look for information about harvest dates, alcohol levels and production methods. These factors often correlate more closely with quality than price tags.
• Trust your own palate over price points. If you consistently enjoy $12 wines more than $30 ones, that’s not a failure of sophistication, it’s valuable self-knowledge.
The bottom line
Wine pricing psychology reveals a fundamental truth about human nature: we taste with our minds as much as our mouths.
While this knowledge might feel deflat-
ing – after all, who wants to admit they’ve been influenced by marketing? – It’s liberating.
Once you understand how price affects perception, you can make more informed decisions about when to splurge and save. Sometimes, the psychology is worth paying for. If a special bottle enhances a celebration or impresses important guests, the price premium may be justified regardless of blind-tasting results.
But for everyday drinking, this knowledge opens up a world of possibilities. The next time you’re in the wine aisle, try reaching for that $12 bottle. Your wallet will thank you, and your palate might surprise you with its wisdom.
Peter McEachern is the general manager of the Nantucket Yacht Club. He has been buying wine, creating wine lists and running wine tastings since 1983. He can be reached at peter@nantucketyachtclub. org
Felly trades beats for guitars on new folk-rock album
(Continued from page 8)
very green and didn’t know what I was doing, but looking back that’s the point: figuring it out.”
He released the EP “Route 44” June 12, which features several songs that will appear on “Ambroxyde.” He initially released the songs as singles throughout the spring.
He will get the opportunity to share with audiences several new songs from the album, including “Wildfire,” “High on You,” and “Black Shoes.”
The cadence of “Wildfire” reflects its
titular subject, starting with soft and subdued folk-rock before bursting halfway through into a wall of jangling guitars and a soaring but restrained falsetto.
“High on You” tells the story of the narrator caught up in the intoxication and co-dependence of a romantic relationship, and is juxtaposed by an easy, breezy surf-rock beat, complete with slide guitar.
The songs on the “Route 44” EP have a wistful, folksy vibe, not dissimilar to the music of The Shins or Bon Iver.
“Ambroxyde” was produced by Felly, alongside Grammy-nominated and Mer-
cury Prize-winning producer Gianluca Buccellati, who has also worked with musicians Lana Del Rey and Arlo Parks. What’s most fulfilling for Felly about making music is being able to use it therapeutically, as a way to process what’s happening in his life.
Another big reward is having a record of progress to witness, seeing what kind of subtle course-correcting needs to happen to improve and putting in the hours to turn an idea in his head into something concrete.
“If things ever get dull, you just need
to switch up the process and get uncomfortable for a moment,” he said. “It’s a perfect tool for reflection of yourself and the times around you.”
Felly said he wants the messages in his music to relay freedom, whether it’s from our own self-doubt and limitations or from unachievable societal pressures and outdated ideas. Rather than giving listeners an escape from the world around them, he encourages them to embrace it.
“The struggle continues and the darkness is very prevalent,” he said. “I hope to be some force of light.”
Eat: The return of Easy Street Restaurant to Steamboat Wharf
(Continued from page 7)
Basnet said he’s lucky to have built a team that can help bring his vision to life. Since he was 18, Basnet has been working in the restaurant industry, most recently as a manager at two popular Boston-area chains: The Friendly Toast and Tavern In The Square, but this is his first time running the whole show.
“It gives me flexibility, which I like, and a sense of belonging,” he said. “Being by myself, it’s more challenging, more fun, more dream-come-true, you know. I feel like that was all prep and this is the big game.”
His goal is to make the restaurant as local as possible, almost farm-to-table.
“I like to partner with local stuff. We try to be very uplifting for ourselves and
other small businesses around us, that’s what I do,” Basnet said. “I love going to places, finding out what they have and then building a menu.”
Easy Street is currently working with Fog Town Farm, Nantucket Bake Shop, Nantucket Seafood, and Glidden’s Island Seafood with plans for more partnerships in the future.
Basnet said sourcing locally is good for the community, good for trying new recipes and good for health.
“I actually love everything on the menu because we put a lot of work into it. All of our ingredients come fresh, we make whatever we’re making and we use it quick,” he said. “I like to go to almost every single table and talk to them. My guys have done a good job, so I can go with confidence. No one’s cutting corners here,
that doesn’t happen.”
At the end of the day, Basnet said his goal is for Easy Street to be a place for everyone in the community from families with young children (there is a kid’s menu) to elderly adults. You can come straight from the beach and enjoy a meal, everyone’s welcome at any time of the day, he said.
“We want it to be everybody’s place, so that’s how we describe ourselves with good quality food, good quality drinks, good service and good energy,” Basnet said. “Every day we’re learning and we listen to the guests. At the end of the day, if there’s no guests then there’s no restaurant.”
Basnet plans to offer discounts to workers in several island industries, including members of the police and fire de-
partments, hospital and more.
“You gotta give back to your community. You’re here for the community. It was a blessing to see so many locals and so much good feedback. One of our guests said, ‘It’s so good because I know all the tables’ so you gotta give back to your people,” Basnet said.
Basnet said the Nantucket dining scene is already so rich he’s grateful for the support the community has shown in Easy Street’s first month.
“Everything helps, every little thing counts. The Nantucket residents have been so helpful for us, so we’re very grateful to call Nantucket home,” he said. Easy Street Restaurant, 31 Easy St. Open daily 7 a.m.-1 a.m, serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner. (774) 333-5303.
(Thursday, continued from page 3)
island. The tour transports visitors on a journey through Nantucket’s past and tells the story of the rise and fall of the whaling industry, the rise of tourism and the impacts the island’s economy had on social and racial development on Nantucket.
Live Music: Doug & Co.
4-7 p.m. Cisco Brewers, 5 Bartlett Farm Road. Nantucket jam band Doug & Co. will perform.
Art Opening: Artists Association
5-7 p.m. Artists Association of Nantucket Federal Gallery, 8 Federal St. The Artists Association of Nantucket will host an opening reception for its “Real and Unreal” exhibition.
Elder Affairs Dinner by The Hive
6 p.m. The Hive, 5 Amelia Drive. Chef Maya will be serving a caprese salad with focaccia bread, roasted salmon, grilled vegetables, and lemon bars, accompanied by fresh fruit. $35 per person. Call (508) 325-4181 to RSVP.
Island Calendar
Live Music: Jacob Butler
6 p.m. Thursdays and Saturdays, The Rose & Crown, 23 South Water St. Nantucket singer-songwriter Jacob Butler will perform.
Night at the Aquarium
8:30 p.m. Maria Mitchell Aquarium, 32 Washington St. Join MMA aquarists to discover what some of their favorite fishy friends do when the sun falls below the horizon and the moon fills the sky. Learn about animal nocturnal powers like enhanced night vision or sleeping with half their brain awake. Tickets at www.mariamitchell.org
Live Music: Elephant in the Room
10 p.m. The Chicken Box, 6 Dave St. Boston party band Elephant in the Room will perform. 21 and over. Additional shows Friday and Saturday.
Live Music: Local Notes
10 p.m. The Rose & Crown, 23 South Water St. Nantucket’s own rock and roll band Local Notes will perform.
Live Music: Mo Lowda & the Humble
10 p.m. Gaslight Nantucket, 3 North Union St. Philadelphia-based indie rock band Mo Lowda and the Humble will perform.
Friday, June 27
Nature Walk
8:30 a.m. Squam Farm, 2 Squidnet Way. Explore the retired pastures, forested paths and hidden wetlands of the property at Squam Farm with the Nantucket Conservation Foundation. This former farmland was used for a 10-year study of the ecological effects of sheep grazing on the island’s landscape. Free with registration, on calendar page of nantucketconservation.org.
Nature Ramble
10 a.m. Monday and Friday, Linda Loring Nature Foundation, 110 Eel Point Road. Tour the Linda Loring Nature Foundation property with director of research and conservation Sarah Bois, who will showcase LLNF research and restoration in action while discussing what’s budding, blooming, flying, and crawling around the trails. Free. Visit llnf.org to register.
Live Music: Jamie’s Junk Show
4-7 p.m. Cisco Brewers, 5 Bartlett Farm Road. Jamie’s Junk Show performs energetic, acoustic interpretations of your favorite songs. Second show Saturday.
Baskets, Bubbles and Bourbon
5:30 p.m. Hadwen House garden, 96 Main St. The Nantucket Historical Association presents its annual summer fundraiser celebrating the rich tradition of Nantucket lightship baskets. Collector Max Berry will be recognized for his support and dedication to the craft of basket-making. 21 and over. Tickets on calendar page of www.nha.org
Live Music: Sean Lee
8-10 p.m. Rose & Crown, 23 South Water St. Nantucket singer-songwriter Sean Lee will perform. Second show Saturday.
Stargazing at the Observatory 9:30 p.m. Monday-Wednesday, Loines Observatory, 59 Milk St. Join professional astronomers from the Maria Mitchell Association for a guided tour of the night sky, including the moon, planets, star clusters, nebulae and more. Register on calendar page of www.mariamitchell.org
Live Music: Foggy Roots
10 p.m. Gaslight Nantucket, 3 North Union St. Nantucket’s own roots reggae band Foggy Roots will perform. 21 and over.
Saturday, June 28
Race for Open Space
7 a.m. Milestone Cranberry Bog, Milestone Road. This 5K/10K race or two-mile walk attracts serious runners, casual joggers, walkers and those are simply avid conservation supporters. Proceeds from the race will support the Nantucket Conservation Foundation’s mission to steward and protect the island’s invaluable open spaces. Register at nantucketconservation.org
Nantucket Clean Team
8 a.m. Handlebar Café, 15 Washington St., and Fisherman’s Beach parking lot off Nonantum Avenue. The Nantucket Clean Team meets weekly from spring through fall to clean up trash around the island. Bags and pickers provided.
Farmers & Artisans Market
8:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Cambridge Street, between Federal and South Water. Sustainable Nantucket hosts a market of fresh local produce, island cottage-industry artisans and food. Weather permitting.
Island Calendar
NanPuppets
9:30 a.m. Moors End Farm, 40 Polpis Road. Join Lizza Obremski and her puppet friends for a morning of educational entertainment for all ages. $10. Bring a blanket.
Historic Bike Tour
10:30 a.m. Nantucket Whaling Museum, 13 Broad St. Strap on your helmet to explore historic locations on the periphery of town you may have missed, all while escaping the hustle and bustle of downtown Nantucket. Led by a Nantucket Historical Association guide. Tickets on calendar page of www.nha.org
NanPuppets
11 a.m. Children’s Beach, Harborview Way. Join Lizza Obremski and her puppet friends for a morning of educational entertainment for all ages. Free. Donations welcome.
Pride Youth Film Festival
5 p.m. Atheneum Great Hall, 1 India St. Nantucket Pride and the Atheneum present the Wicked Queer Film Festival to close out Pride season on the island. Free. Intended for teens 14 and up. All are welcome.
Shoot for the Stars Fundraiser
5 p.m. Great Harbor Yacht Club, 96 Washington St. , Hors d’oeuvres and refreshments, a live and silent auction featuring a unique offering of one-of-a-kind chairs by renowned designers benefits Nantucket S.T.A.R. (Sports and Therapeutic Accessible Recreation). Tickets at www.zeffy.com/en-US/ticketing/shootfor-the-stars
Live Music: Buckle & Shake
10 p.m. Gaslight Nantucket, 3 North Union St. Nantucket’s own alt-country band Buckle & Shake will perform. 21 and over.
Sunday, June 29
Bird Walk
7:45-10 a.m. Maria Mitchell Association, 33 Washington St. Explore Nantucket’s avian landscapes and hidden nooks with local bird guide and Inquirer and Mirror columnist Ginger Andrews. Register on calendar page of www.mariamitchell.org
Live Music: Quinn Sullivan
3 p.m. Cisco Brewers, 5 Bartlett Farm Road. New Bedford singer, songwriter and guitarist Quinn Sullivan will perform.
Restorative Yoga
5 p.m. Nantucket Conservation Foundation, location upon registration. Drop into this calming and centering practice of restorative yoga immersed in the peaceful setting of a Conservation Foundation property. Gentle movement, stretching and breathwork in open space. Register on calendar page of www.nantucketconservation.org
Beginner’s Ukulele Drop-in
5:30 p.m. Nantucket Community Music Center, 56 Centre St. No instrument? No problem. All ages. Register at nantucketcommunitymusiccenter.org
Live Music: Jamie McLean Band
10 p.m. Gaslight Nantucket, 3 North Union St. The Jamie McLean Band, which combines New Orleans soul, middle Americana roots, Delta blues and New York City swagger, will perform.
MONDAY, PAGE 22
(Monday, continued from page 21)
Monday, June 30
Hands on History
10:15 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Monday-Thursday through Aug. 28. Nantucket Whaling Museum, 13 Broad St. A short presentation with visual and tactile elements connecting to Nantucket history, followed by craft-making connected to that day’s talk.
Live Music: Liz Kelley
4-7 p.m. Cisco Brewers, 5 Bartlett Farm Road. Nashville-based singer-songwriter Liz Kelley will perform. Second show Tuesday.
Fairwinds in Bloom
5 p.m. Nantucket Shipwreck & Lifesaving Museum, 158 Polpis Road. A curated wellness-themed silent auction; seasonal hors d’oeuvres from Island Kitchen; live music by Billy Voss; remarks from the Nantucket police and fire departments and Nantucket Cottage Hospital; a mission moment from Kaeyllane DeLima Dias on our island’s youth; and more. Benefits Fairwinds, Nantucket’s Behavioral Health Center. Tickets at fairwindscenter.org
Island Calendar
Artist Talk: Sherre Wilson-Liljegren
5:30 p.m. Visual Arts Center, 24 Amelia Drive. Artists Association of Nantucket’s artist-in-residence Sherre Wilson-Liljegren will discuss her process and inspiration.
“Jaws” 50th Anniversary Screening
7 p.m. Dreamland Theater, 17 South Water St. The Dreamland and Nantucket Film Festival present this special 50th anniversary screening of “Jaws.” Tickets at www.nantucketdreamland.org
Live Music: DJ Lay-Z-Boy
10 p.m. The Chicken Box, 6 Dave St. Boston’s DJ Lay-Z-Boy will man the turntables. 21 and over. No cover. Tuesday, July 1
Tuesday, July 1
Music in the Morning
9:45 a.m. Atheneum garden, 1 India St.
Led by local musician and teacher Cory Morgan, this fun-filled 45-minute session invites kids to explore rhythm, sound and song through clapping, instrument play. Bring a blanket. Canceled in the event of inclement weather.
Sip & Shop for a Cause
4-6 p.m. Commonwealth, 16 Federal St. This special event supports the Egan Maritime Institute’s annual summer fundraiser, Night at the Museum. Enjoy complimentary wine and light bites while browsing Commonwealth’s curated collection of timeless and on-trend pieces.
Live Music: St. Paul & the Broken Bones
7 p.m. The Muse, 44 Surfside Road. Retro soul and modern rock band St. Paul & the Broken Bones will perform. Tickets at Eventbrite.com
Special Screening: “Can’t Look Away”
7 p.m. Dreamland Theater, 17 South Water St. The Dreamland and Nantucket Film Festival present this gripping documentary that exposes the dark side of social media and its impact on young people. Recommended for 14 and older. Free, but ticket required. www.nantucketdreamland.org
Live Music: Felly
10 p.m. The Chicken Box, 6 Dave St. Connecticut-based singer-songwriter Felly will perform. 21 and over. Second show Wednesday.
Live Music: Telescreens
10 p.m. Gaslight Nantucket, 3 North Union St. New York City rock band Telescreens will perform. Second show Wednesday.
Nanpuppets
11:30 a.m. Cisco Brewers, 5 Bartlett Farm Road. Join Lizza Obremski and her puppet friends for a morning of educational entertainment for all ages.
Wednesday, July 2
Nature Walk
8:30 a.m. Milestone Cranberry Bog, Milestone Road. Visit this historic cranberry bog in the height of summer. See the cranberry vines in bloom and hear the efforts the Nantucket Conservation Foundation is making for the future of cranberry cultivation tradition on island. Free with registration on calendar page of www.nantucketconservationfoundation.org
Book-Signing: Elin Hilderbrand
11 a.m. Mitchell’s Book Corner, 54 Main St. Bestselling island author Elin
Hilderbrand will sign copies of her new guide to Nantucket, “The Blue Book.” Limited to first 120 in line.
Calling All Writers
2 p.m. Zoom. Join with other writers to share written work online via Zoom. Read work on which you wish to have reader feedback: memoirs, poetry, travel, essay, fiction. Due to limited space and popular demand, this program is wait-list only. For more information, contact saguiar@ nantucketatheneum.org
Live Music: Buckle & Shake
4-7 p.m. Cisco Brewers, 5 Bartlett Farm Road. Buckle & Shake, Nantucket’s own alt-country band, will perform.
Behind the Scenes at the NHA Collections Center
4 p.m. 89 Bartlett Road. Ever wonder what’s in the Nantucket Historical Association collections that aren’t on public display? Join the NHA curatorial team for a behind-the-scenes tour of its collections of paintings, furniture, and Nantucket artifacts. Register on calendar page of www.nha.org
Island Calendar
Interwoven Stories
4:30 p.m. Greater Light, 8 Howard St. Artist and activist Diana Weymar will discuss “Interwoven Stories,” her community-based narrative stitching project. Free, but registration recommended on calendar page of www.nha.org
Summer Decks DJ Series
6 p.m. Dreamland Theater Harborview Room. DJ Pete Ahern mans the turntables. 25 and over. Tickets at www.nantucketdreamland.org
Film for Thought
7 p.m. Dreamland Theater, 17 South Water St. The Inquirer and Mirror and Dreamland present “Bonjour Tristesse,” starring Lily McInerny and Chloe Sevigny. Free for members. Tickets at www. nantucketdreamland.org
Women’s Support Group
7:30 p.m. Atheneum Learning Lab, 1 India St. A space for women to come together in support, strength and self-discovery. Connect with a community of individuals, uplift one another and embrace your worth with confidence. Facilitated by Lisa Lothian, LCSW. Free.
DINING OVERLOOKING NANTUCKET SOUND.
Enjoy fine dining in our intimate dining room or a relaxed experience on our deck. In summer months, cruise to lunch or dinner aboard the Wauwinet Lady. Nantucket’s only AAA 5-Diamond restaurant. Reserve on RESY.com or call 508-228-8768.
Thursday, July 3
Book Signing: Nancy Thayer
10:30 a.m.-noon, Mitchell’s Book Corner, 54 Main St. Best-selling Nantucket author Nancy Thayer will sign copies of her latest book, “Summer Light on Nantucket.”
Live Music: Nikki & The Barn Boys
Noon-3 p.m. Cisco Brewers, 5 Bartlett Farm Road. Massachusetts-based indie rock group Nikki & The Barn Boys will perform.
Friends Fete
5:30 p.m. Location upon registration. Join the Nantucket Land & Water Council and Almanack Arts Colony in celebrating the inspiring beauty of Nantucket’s preserved and open spaces at the Almanack Arts Colony in Polpis. The Land & Water Council and Arts Colony are bringing together the next generation of environmental philanthropists to enjoy food by Nantucket Catering Co., Yoho Raw Bar and delicious libations by Donelan Family Wines and Cisco Brewers, and dancing. Tickets at www.nantucketlandwater.org
“What the Constitution Means to Me” 7:30 p.m. Nantucket Performing Arts Center, 5 North Water St. The ACK Theatre Company kicks off its inaugural season with Heidi Schreck’s “What the Constitution Means to Me,” starring Nina Hellman and Jeremy Shamos. Through July 17. Tickets at nantucketperformingarts.org
House Party: The Knocks
8 p.m. Dreamland Theater, 17 South Water St. Get the party started with DJ Decimel, followed by The Knocks, a DJ and production duo known for their blend of electronic music, pop and disco. 21 and over. Cash bar. Tickets at www.nantucketdreamland.org
Owl Prowl
8 p.m. Maria Mitchell Association, 4 Vestal St. Join MMA field ornithologist and I&M columnist Ginger Andrews to listen for the calls of nocturnal animals and birds and watch for owls as they begin their nightly activity. Tickets on calendar page of www.mariamitchell.org
Did someone order a spectacular harbor view? Visit the newly renovated Brant Point Grill Deck at White Elephant, where the menu is rivaled only by the sunset over Nantucket Harbor. Enjoy al fresco dining in our fresh new outdoor bar and deck space, where our chefs use local flavors to prepare lobster, grilled steaks and signature New England dishes. Visit RESY.com or call 508-325-1320.
