Visitor Services Committee Hears Daffodil Festival Safety Overhaul for 50th Anniversary

NANTUCKET -- April 14, 2026, Nantucket's Visitor Services Advisory Committee previewed safety and logistics changes for the 50th Daffodil Festival at its April 14 meeting. Bianca Brown of the Nantucket Chamber of Commerce told the committee that the parade vehicle-selection process has moved from first-come, first-served to a reviewed committee process, a hired parking and crowd-management crew will replace an all-volunteer operation at the Sconset picnic, and the Daffodil Bazaar will shift to the Dreamland Harborview Room on Friday, April 18, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Brown cited a prior Stroll event incident that drew national coverage as motivation for the changes, saying organizers want "to get back to being the family-friendly event that we're known to be." Staff member Dina Weatherly reported 140 event permit applications filed to date, announced seven-days-a-week programming at Children's Beach this summer, and confirmed fireworks are set for July 4, a Saturday, under the MA250 national commemoration framework. Committee member Liz Holland said Sunday ferry departures for the Daffodil weekend are already sold out on some boats.