A rundown of reimagined and rescheduled events for July 2020.
1. Nantucket Atheneum Dance Festival Reimagined
June 1 through July 25
Interactive, artistic, thought-provoking, and inspiring are just a few of the ways to describe this year’s reimagined Atheneum Dance Festival. Starting June 1, get your groove on by tuning in to their weekly preview video series, leading up to the online festival taking place July 20-25. Donations help support the festival and world-class library services on Nantucket. For more information, click here.
2. Nantucket Yoga Festival
Originally scheduled July 10-12
While it appears as though this year’s Nantucket Yoga Festival will be stretching into 2021, you can still stretch your mind, body, and spirit with the best wellness experts and healthy living guides the NYF has to offer. Explore their full list of instructors and their respective online classes on the NYF website, and sign up for next year’s festival while you’re there. For more information, click here.
3. Nantucket Conservation Foundation Race for Open Space
July 10-12
Always wanted to do a 5k race, but didn’t like the crowds? This year’s Race for Open Space is your time to shine. The rules are simple: anytime between July 10 and July 12, walk 2 miles, run a 5K or a 10K, and enter your results. Anyone can participate – even if you’re not on Nantucket! Registration fees benefit the Nantucket Conservation Foundation and its many beautiful public properties. For more information, click here.
4. Nantucket Garden Festival
Originally scheduled July 15-17
Every rose has its thorn, and this year for the Nantucket Garden Festival the thorn was the coronavirus crisis. Yet despite being postponed to 2021, the festival will host creative pop-up events this summer to encourage donations to its partner, the Nantucket Lighthouse School. To donate and find more information, click here.
5. Nantucket Comedy Festival
Originally scheduled July 16-18
Laughter is most certainly the best medicine, and there’s been no short supply of it thanks to the folks behind the Nantucket Comedy Festival. Earlier this year, Bob Ley and Kevin Flynn started a weekly comedy roundtable on Thursday nights at 7:00 pm on NCTV, keeping Islanders in stitches through the COVID-19 crisis. The annual laugh fest benefits Stand Up & Learn, an island-based, year-round comedy education program serving Nantucket’s children. To donate and find more information, click here.
6. Nantucket Art & Artisan Show
Originally scheduled July 16-19
Since 1991, the Nantucket Art & Artisan Show has been a treasured annual summer event to support Small Friends on Nantucket. Though there will not be a physical show in 2020, the three-day event will carry on – on the web! Tune in to support over 40 local and regional artists, and donate to help the island’s year-round full day early education center. For more information, click here.
7. Artists Association of Nantucket Gala
July 18
While there’s no picture-perfect solution for an event canceled by COVID, the next best thing is to go virtual, and that’s exactly what the AAN will be doing for their annual Dinner and Auction. On July 18, stay cozy at home, live stream the event with a small gathering of friends over dinner, and support the AAN by buying a virtual table, ticket, or auction item. For more information, click here.
8. NAMI’s Dragonfly
Originally scheduled July 25
For the past four summers, the Dragonfly Fundraiser has raised money for two critical mental health organizations: the National Alliance on Mental Illness’ Cape Cod & the Islands and Fairwinds, Nantucket’s Counseling Center. In recent months these organizations have seen a sharp uptick in need from Islanders struggling with the effects of COVID-19. Help them carry on their important work by donating. For more information, click here.
9. Swim Across America
Originally scheduled July 25
Even in these uncertain times, we can still make waves to fight cancer. Proceeds from Swim Across America go to support cancer treatment and patient care at the Nantucket Cottage Hospital and Palliative and Supportive Care of Nantucket. Though the annual SAA swim on Jetties Beach will look a little different this year, stay tuned to their website for info on the four-mile swim along the North Shore of Nantucket, and the “virtual” run option. To donate and find more information, click here.
10. Theatre Workshop of Nantucket’s On with the Show
July 26
Take your seats and raise the curtain because the show must go on, and it will be a fantastic one this July at the Theatre Workshop of Nantucket. Join the TWN team and local actors for a virtual evening of spectacular performances. Tickets and donations will support the future of theater on Nantucket. For more information, click here.
