NANTUCKET DAFFODIL FESTIVAL LbNA #1996

Nantucket is an island off the coast of Massachusetts. Each year, over the last weekend in April, the island celebrates the coming of spring with a grand festival. A giant wreath of daffodils on the Brandt Point Lighthouse welcomes incoming ferry passengers. For the next three days, bright daffodils will be spotted along sandy roads, in shop windows, and on antique cars. This all started in 1974, when Mrs. Jean MacAusland donated one million Dutch bulbs and invited volunteers to plant them along the island’s main roads. Her intent was “to create something the whole community could enjoy”. The daffodil was chosen as the emblem of spring because “nothing daunts a daffodil. They’re perennials and aren’t appetizing to the island’s deer and cottontails.” In the early 1980’s, Mrs. MacAusland ordered another eight tons of bulbs directly from the Netherlands, and with the help of professional landscapers, another 100,000 daffodil bulbs were planted. The island residents soon joined in enthusiastically. Each year, thousands of bulbs were added to the fields and roadsides. The community spirit and effort were typical of Nantucket, daffodils were planted everywhere! Today, an estimated 3,000,000 daffodils bloom each spring.

The Nantucket Daffodil Festival has grown to include such things as the Daffodil Festival Inn Tour, the Daffodil Weekend Auction and Dinner, the Daffodil Festival Antique Car Parade, the Daffodil Festival Children’s Parade, the Daffy Hats Contest, the Pinewoods Men Dancers, the Nantucket Daffodil Flower Show, and the Daffodil Festival Tailgate Party.

The Antique Car Parade and the Tailgate Party are the highlights of the Festival. More than 100 antique cars festooned with yellow blossoms and green streamers line up on Main Street at noon on Saturday. Then they meander seven miles to Siasconset on the eastern edge of the island.

The parade climaxes with a tailgate party picnic on Main Street in Siasconset. Anyone can attend the picnic. Setups range from white linen tables heaped with Cornish hens, petit fours and chardonnay to K-rations and water.

Clues:
This letterbox quest can be hiked or biked, it’s up to you.
The best time to do this is on the Saturday of the Daffodil Festival.
However it can be done at any other time too.
Just use your imagination to see the antique cars.
Start at Young’s Bicycle Shop on Steamboat Wharf, Nantucket.
Proceed to Main Street between 9:30 am and noon and marvel at the cars.
Once the parade starts, follow the cars as they proceed to Siasconset.
Go west on Main Street to Pleasant Street.
Go southeast on Pleasant Street to the Rotary Circle.
Follow Milestone Road toward Siasconset.
At the 4 mile marker, there is a rest area on the left side of the road.
From a position directly behind the mile marker.
Travel 33 paces on a bearing of 22O.
Look for a very faint, small trail.
Follow trail for 17 paces.
The letterbox lies beneath a concrete slab at the edge of a cellar hole
12 paces on a heading of 130O from where you are standing.