This Week on Nantucket, May 21-28

This Week on Nantucket

May 21 - May 28

– In This Issue –

• Memorial Day Weekend Calendar

• Let’s Eat! The New Fairgrounds

• MusACK: Ian Biggs

• Walk with Neil: Almanack Pond Published by

www.pascon.org/dreamcatcher

Thursday, May 21

Ecology Excursion

9:30 a.m. Location provided upon registration. Nantucket Conservation Foundation plant propagation manager Stacey Cooper discusses how the NCF greenhouses are prepared for the busy growing season ahead and offers tips on how to cultivate native plants. Register on events page of www.nantucketconservation.org

Toddler Story Time

9:30 a.m. Atheneum gallery, 1 India St. Short stories, finger-plays and songs designed to foster literacy skills in children up to 3 years old. Space is limited.

Preschool Story Time

10:30 a.m. Atheneum gallery, 1 India St. A 30-minute story time featuring new and classic stories, finger-plays and songs.

Tech Tips for iPhone Users

10:30 a.m. Saltmarsh Senior Center, 81 Washington St. Janie Hobson-Dupont teaches seniors how to use their iPhones, offering tips and tricks to make your phone experience easier and smoother. Call (508) 228-4490 to register.

Island Calendar

Author Talk: Maëva Ghonda

2 p.m. online at www.nantucketatheneum.org. AI expert, scientist and author Maëva Ghonda will discuss her new book “Calloway,” which explores a world in which the question of artificial consciousness is no longer theoretical. Register on the calendar page of www.nantucketatheneum.org

Live Music: The Last Revel

4-7 p.m. Cisco Brewers, 5 Bartlett Farm Road. The Last Revel, whose musicians are based in Minneapolis, Minn. And Bozeman, Mont., bring new Americana to the brewery. Second Show Friday.

Sip and Stitch

6 p.m. Erica Wilson, 25 Main St. An evening of creativity, conversation and community. All are welcome, whether you’re a seasoned embroiderer or threading your first needle. Free.

Friday, May 22

Guided Nature Walk

10 a.m. Linda Loring Nature Foundation, 110 Eel Point Road. LLNF director of research and conservation Sarah Bois leads

FRIDAY, PAGE 17

for an hour around the island.

Monday, Wednesday & Friday

10:00 AM to 12:30 PM 1:00 PM to 3:30 PM

SHOPPING HOURS

to 3:30 PM

For more information about the Thrift Shop and donating please visit our website.

The new Fairgrounds: Wonder, whimsy and community

By Francesca Giangiulio fgiangiulio@inkym.com

Hey, islanders! It is officially the best time of year on-island, and yes, I do mean restaurant season.

This is a huge year for Nantucket restaurants. Brand-new concepts will be sharing the space with icons celebrating major milestones, including Le Languedoc’s 50th year, Sea Grille’s 35th, Pi Pizza’s 25th and more.

There is a timeless, ageless quality to dining out on Nantucket. There are restaurants so iconic they’re basically woven into the fabric of the island, and then there are always a handful of first-timers, radiating with the exciting energy of something new.

For me – and this column – this is the summer of celebration and community on the Nantucket restaurant scene. I will be highlighting old favorites, as well as some newcomers, who prove that you can’t talk about Nantucket and how special this place is without mentioning the food.

Whether you’ve seen the island through all of its restaurant eras or it’s your first time here, we are going to be fun, wild, whimsical and adventurous this summer (especially with our eating habits).

We’ll try new things and celebrate time-honored traditions. Rome wasn’t built in a day and every icon has to start somewhere, so cheers to being timeless.

We’re starting this year’s “Let’s Eat” with a place that bridges the old and new, an eat-

Eat!

ery that doesn’t need an introduction, necessarily, but a mere refresher on its importance to the community: Fairgrounds.

Nantucket native Ethan Devine bought the iconic pub and restaurant from longtime owners Bill and Kim Puder earlier this year.

The building at 27 Fairgrounds Road was a restaurant long before the Puders took over in 1997, but to many living on-island, they are the ones who turned the establishment into the legend it is today.

“Bill and Kim were so welcoming, Bill especially, just showing me how he did everything, which items were particularly special to him, which was almost everything,” Devine said. “He put so much love and care into what he made.”

The kitchen crew from Faregrounds –Devine has changed the name slightly to Fairgrounds – has stayed mostly intact, and many of the recipes are the same ones Bill Puder used like the ribs, chowder and (by popular demand) the Jamaican chicken wings.

“I heard from so many people: Do not change the Jamaican wings,” Devine said. “Young, old, people who wouldn’t be friends with each other or know each other. That was one thing that kept coming up, so I was like, ‘OK, I can take a hint’.”

EAT, PAGE 24

Drought, Almanack Pond and a reclaimed cranberry bog

current state of Almanack Pond after years of sustained drought. It’s not much of a pond at the moment.

By Neil Foley Contributing Writer

Nantucket is criss-crossed by hundreds of dirt roads and miles of sandy shortcuts and pock-marked paths which resemble a lunar landscape unless carefully graded by neighbors with a tractor.

Every road differs in length and destination, but each one is a gateway to the beauty of Nantucket’s beaches and conservation lands.

I never regret my choices to take a sharp turn onto the unpaved scenic route. With that in mind, let us venture down Almanack Pond Road this week.

The state of Massachusetts has recently declared that the island is back into a level-two drought. Not a good start to the summer.

While many of the marshes and ponds have surface water in them, the restrictions in place with this status are meant to protect the levels of our upper and lower aquifer and ensure sustainable recharge rates below ground.

After a recent rain, I wanted to venture

down a dirt road and check on the state of a pond which clearly shows how sustained drought has affected our watershed. Hence my visit to the eponymous Almanack Pond.

I park at the small pull-off at the western entrance to Windswept Bog and look into the restored cranberry bogs.

The calls of male Red-winged Blackbirds ring out from the edges of each pool accompanied by displays of their signature red epaulets. Brown and streaky females of the species flit among the reeds and listen to each suitor, carefully choosing the right mate for the year.

Instead of a walk around the old berms and boardwalks of Windswept, I continue toward Almanack Pond beneath the cover of tupelo and maple trees.

The groves are not yet leafed out but are drinking deep from groundwater to push forth their annual foliage. Playful calls of Great-crested Flycatchers and Northern Cardinals echo from the forest as golden light filters through the sunken forests.

I look up to see crimson red maple seeds, also known as samaras, illuminated against the blue sky. It reminds me of the Van Gogh painting of almond blossoms against a blue background, which he made to celebrate the birth of his nephew.

This scene of red on blue similarly celebrates new life and the excitement of spring.

On the road, I see the flattened carcass of a young milk snake, not quite 10 inches long before it met an unfortunate end.

On these dirt roads it is all the more important to take it slow and watch out for crossing turtles, snakes and frogs awakened for the spring season and moving to adjacent wetlands.

Life can be a series of missed opportunities if you sit around waiting for the right moment. I told myself to go take in Almanack Pond Road while the shadbush was in bloom, an annual explosion of white among the early flowering trees and shrubs.

When I walked down the road, I mostly saw shadbush trees bearing the delicate flower stalks without the shining white petals and one lonely sprig of shadbush flowers.

I waited too long and now my vision of the flowering celebration of spring has become a victim of the rain and wind over the last weekend.

WALK, PAGE 29

Greystone Vineyards: Patient hands and an ancient sea

By Peter McEachern I&M Columnist

Editor’s Note: Part two of a two-part Wine Cellar column on New Zealand’s Greystone Vineyards, and how Georgia Mehlhopt, a young winemaker who found her calling on the Camino de Santiago in Spain, is taking the helm at one of New Zealand’s most thrilling estates and why the limestone hills above Omihi will speak as clearly through her as they did through her predecessor.

Pinot Noir is the headline act at Greystone, accounting for more than 60 percent of plantings. The flagship Thomas Brothers Pinot Noir is sourced from the highest-elevation block: wind-buffeted, frost-protected and naturally devigorated, producing Greystone’s most structured and age-worthy wine.

The Brothers’ Reserve 2012 won the Decanter World Wine Awards International

Trophy in 2014 for Best Pinot Noir over 15 pounds, beating contenders from both hemispheres, including Burgundy itself.

Beside the Pinot, the estate grows Chardonnay (the Erin’s Reserve is a serious wine: citrus, hazelnut and the cool tension of well-handled lees); Riesling (the Basket Star dessert Riesling is an utter delight); Pinot Gris (the single-block bottling has real generosity and texture and is Greystone’s top-selling wine); barrel-fermented Sauvignon Blanc that lives miles from the green Marlborough idiom; Gewürztraminer; and even a small block of Syrah clinging to a

steep limestone slope.

The naming convention – Basket Star, Brothers – is a quiet salute to the marine fossils underfoot and to the family who put their name on the gate.

There is also a Pétillant Naturel in the lineup now, Greystone’s elegant ancient-method sparkler, bottled before its first fermentation completes.

Mehlhopt was happy to elaborate on this and more.

Q: You’ve named the Vineyard Ferment

Ian Biggs doesn’t want to stay in one musical lane

By Kendall Graham kgraham@inkym.com

Like many who grow up to be musicians, Ian Biggs caught the music bug early.

In a middle-school poetry class, he first fell in love with Jimi Hendrix’s lyrics and became inspired to write his own.

Taking up the guitar in short order, he started a funk-rock band with some friends called Tuesday Night Jam Sessions, named after a local open mic night where they’d often perform.

“It wasn’t like when I was a little kid I was thinking I’d grow up to play music, but I always loved music and I’d say I got pretty serious about it in high school,” Biggs said.

“We loved, you know, 1990s (Red Hot) Chili Peppers, that kind of stuff,” he said of the band. “I still do, nothing’s changed there. But that was definitely the biggest influence we had when we were starting out.”

These days, Biggs’ own music leans more into pop-rock, singer-songwriter styles, and he performs both with a band and solo, utilizing a live looping system.

Biggs will perform both solo and with a full band over Memorial Day weekend at Cisco Brewers and the Brotherhood of Thieves.

This will be his third season on the island. Biggs first played here in 2024 at the behest of longtime friends Jeff Tuohy, musician and island music curator; and saxophonist Tommy Weeks, with whom Biggs will perform throughout the weekend.

Tuohy suggested Biggs come check out the island for a while, and after a few years of friendly nudging, Biggs made his way and has been keeping his seasonal tradition alive.

For solo performances, Biggs, on acoustic or electric guitar, adds a loop pedal station and a beat pad to create a full, layered sound with percussion and vocals.

He may even pull out some covers, like a folky Oasis-Shaboozey hybrid, or a dynamic extended medley of Marc Cohn, Morgan Wallen and Walk the Moon, building the transitions and breakdowns seamlessly.

Wanting to be more self-sustaining musically, because sometimes things fall through with other musicians, Biggs realized being able to be “a loop guy” would give him more flexibility on stage.

“I still always prefer (to perform with) the full band, but the loop gig became a thing, also,” he said.

He first started utilizing live looping because “the other musicians were getting too expensive,” he joked.

“But I have to credit a guy named Darian Cunning, who’s a Connecticut musician. He

was, sort of, so I was like ‘Yeah, of course I’m a loop guy,’ and then had to go become a loop guy in a week,” Biggs said.

was the first guy I ever saw do that, and he’s still, like, the OG looper for me.”

The shift into looping became more prominent once Biggs received a request to join pop singer Jesse McCartney as his touring guitarist. McCartney’s team was looking for one person who could sing backup, play guitar and loop, rather than seeking a full-band setup, Biggs said.

“They asked me, ‘Are you a loop guy?’ and I

In addition to McCartney, Biggs has toured with and supported acts like Neon Trees, Taking Back Sunday, Dermot Kennedy and the Misfits.

Originally from, and largely still based, in New Haven, Conn., Biggs also splits time bi-coastally between Los Angeles and Nashville.

He has a little more notoriety in his hometown, but spends a few months in the other

locations mainly writing and recording in the studio. Biggs doesn’t consider Connecticut a music hub, like LA and the southern capital known as “Music City,” but there’s still a lot of work from weddings and corporate events.

“Connecticut has been good for me in a unique way because I’m from here and so obviously I’ve made more contacts here and have more of a name than the other places,” Biggs said. “But I wouldn’t really call it a music hub, necessarily.”

“But Nashville has more. It’s a huge mec-

of Ian Biggs Singer-songwriter Ian Biggs has shared the stage with the likes of Jesse McCartney, Dermot Kennedy, the Misfits and Neon Trees.

ca, probably the music mecca of the United States right now, so there’s gigs everywhere, every night. There’s a lot of really good bands, so it is a bit over-saturated.”

While his music is mainly pop-rock, and wouldn’t sound out of place on any Triple A radio station or adult-alternative playlist, he’s not interested in pigeon-holed labeling. He even made a few electronic dance music collaborations with Dutch DJ and producer Danimal.

“I really like EDM music, even though I wouldn’t consider myself an EDM artist,” Biggs said. “The only downside is, say, if I meet someone in Nashville and tell them I’m a singer-songwriter and then they go to my Spotify and the first song is, like, European techno, it can be a little misrepresentative.”

“But I try not to get too caught up in, like, this is the artist, and this is the sound and

the branding,” he said. “And, you know, maybe I should be focused more on that, but I’d rather just make something interesting.”

“I think people can like different genres, but then one artist that they know for one thing tries to do something else, and they get upset about it, so we have to try to allow artists to change and be who they want to be in the moment.”

And maybe that’s the point: not to comfortably stay one thing forever, but to keep moving toward whatever feels interesting and innovative next.

Ian Biggs performs at the Brotherhood of Thieves, 23 Broad St., Friday, May 22 through Sunday, May 24 at 8 p.m.; and Saturday, May 23 at 4 p.m. and Sunday, May 24 at 3 p.m. at Cisco Brewers, 5 Bartlett Farm Road. No cover.

Check out Kendall Graham’s MusACK column in This Week on Nantucket all summer long for the hottest music acts playing the island!

Rust isn’t just found on metal; Watch for it on plants

By Vinny Tomasello

Contributing Writer

They say April showers bring May flowers, but these long periods of wet weather can bring about the growth of other creatures as well.

As warm spring rain becomes more frequent we begin to see the emergence of an alien-like pathogen known as rust (Gymnosporangium juniperivirginianae).

Rust gets its name from the orange spores that can be seen on fruits and leaves when it infects its hosts. This pathogen has two hosts during its life cycle that allow it to lay dormant throughout the winter and continue to reinfect during the growing season.

Red cedars act as an over-wintering host and allow it to survive throughout the winter months. Once we begin to see periods of warm, wet weather in April and May, however, this dormant pathogen becomes active.

Large, orange masses of tentacles known as telial horns will become visible on cedars

Rant

and emit infectious spores that attack the second host of its life cycle.

These secondary hosts include apples and crabapples, pears, hawthorns, shads and quince. Rust will present itself either on the leaves as a leaf-spot or on the fruit as orange spores.

This is where rust becomes a problem in our landscapes. Red cedars usually are unaffected by rust. The large telial horn growths may look threatening but they rarely have any negative impact on its over-wintering host.

It can, however, have lasting effects on our ornamental trees. Leaves will become spotted with fungal growths which inhibit photosynthesis and prevent the plant from making sufficient energy.

The tree will drop its leaves in an effort to

RANT, PAGE 29

JUNE 17 22 2026

CENTERPIECE: GIVE ME THE BALL!

“The Flavor Thesaurus:” How recipes work

By Shannon Ross Contributing Writer

In “The Flavor Thesaurus: More Flavors,” Niki Segnit expands the project she began in her first book, 2010’s “The Flavor Thesaurus,” where she mapped classic and surprising flavor pairings in a pioneering, almost encyclopedic way.

The epigraph “Creativity is partly a matter of association of ideas,” sets the tone for this follow-up: it’s a reference guide of how (mostly plant-focused) flavors connect, overlap and surprise, turning the elusive world of flavor into something you can actually navigate.

Like its predecessor, “More Flavors” is organized around a kind of sensory flavor wheel, where one flavor family tips into the next, demonstrating to the reader that flavor families are not discrete but porous and interconnected.

Segnit distinguishes between taste (the five basic qualities on the tongue – sweetness, saltiness, sourness, bitterness and umami – and flavor, which fills in the details and turns a rough “back of the envelope” sketch into a vivid portrait.

Some favorite flavor families:

• Flower and Meadow (buckwheat, oat, corn, honey)

• Zesty Woody (turmeric, ginger, carrot)

• Nutty Milky (chicory, sesame, cashew and more)

Some favorite pairings:

• Honey and Mint: Who knew that honey made by bees that have “foraged on mint crops” has a fresh and minty quality to it?

• Ginger and Peppercorn: “Cracked black pepper will give gingerbread a woody, mildly fruity heat that sits well with the same notes in ginger.”

• Sesame and Seaweed: “In Japan furikake is the ubiquitous seasoning shaken over cooked rice. Many blends contain nori flakes and sesame seeds. In Korea, dried seaweed or gim, make a nice snack by toasting in a pan with sesame oil, soy sauce, sugar, garlic and scallion.”

Segnit draws on food literature, olfactory science, global food traditions and her own kitchen preferences to build these pairings, so they feel informed by both scholarship and lived experience.

For anyone who cooks or writes about food, this book functions like the hardware

Good Reads

of how recipes work. It helps explain why certain patterns of flavor show up again and again across cuisines and dishes.

You can read it straight through or treat it as a reference, dipping into the recipe and flavor index at the back when you want ideas. Along the way, you encounter Segnit’s own recipes and recipe-sketches that are casually delivered in prose (a little of this a little of that) where Segnit seems more of a flavor match-maker in her cooking than a fastidious recipe writer.

Segnit’s voice is matter-of-fact but alive with sensory detail. You come away not only better informed about flavor pairings but also with a deeper appreciation for the way she smells and tastes the world.

After reading “The Flavor Thesaurus: More Flavors,” it is hard not to look at your pantry as a palette of possibilities and your own cooking as an act of creative association.

Shannon Ross is a library associate at The Nantucket Atheneum.

The Inquirer and Mirror

is proud to support our community with media sponsorships and contributions to many island institutions and events. Over the last year we have provided more than $130,000 of media sponsorships to include:

Island Calendar

Courtesy of Christian Finnegan

Comedian Christian Finnegan, best known for his appearances on “Chappelle’s Show,” brings his stand-up act to the Dreamland Thursday, May 28. (Friday, continued from page 3)

this tour of the foundation’s property to discover what’s leafing out and starting to bloom along the trails. Free, but registration recommended on calendar page of www.llnf.org.

Intro to Mah Jongg

1:15 p.m. Saltmarsh Senior Center, 81 Washington St. Learn about this ancient Chinese tile game from volunteers excited to share their interest.

How to Play Mah Jongg

2 p.m. Dreamland Learning Lab, 1 India St. Seasonal resident Laura Brusca leads this four-week course on the basics of Mah Jongg, the popular ancient Asian tile game. Free, but registration required on calendar page of www.nantucketatheneum.org

Cecelia Joyce & Seward Johnson Gallery 8 Federal

Wines & Rinds

3:30-5 p.m. Bartlett’s Ocean View Farm, 33 Bartlett Farm Road. A relaxed, guided pairing of the farms favorite wines and cheeses.

Congregation Shirat HaYam

Welcome Reception

5 p.m. Unitarian Meeting House, 11 Orange St. Congregation Shirat HaYam welcomes back members and anyone interested in the congregation for the 2026 summer season with a welcome reception, followed by Friday evening Shabbat services at 6 p.m.

Teen Game Night

6 p.m. Atheneum Gallery, 1 India St. Teens and tweens are invited to play a

FRIDAY, PAGE 18

Island Calendar

Figawi Race Weekend kicks off Saturday morning with the departure of more than 100 sailboats from Hyannis to Nantucket. After a day or two layover, the boats head back to the mainland on the reverse leg of the race, considered by many the unofficial start of the New England sailing season.

selection of Nintendo Switch games like Just Dance, Mario Party and more. The games will rotate and are first-come, first-served.

Live Music: Ian Biggs

8 p.m. Brotherhood of Thieves, 23 Broad St. New Haven, Conn.-based singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Ian Biggs will perform. Additional shows same time Saturday and Sunday.

Stargazing at the Observatory Loines Observatory, 59 Milk St. 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

Saturday, May 23

Figawi Race Weekend

Marking the unofficial start of the summer sailing season, the Figawi sailboat race pits more than 100 boats of all lengths and designs against each other in a race from Hyannis to Nantucket. The boats leave Hyannis Harbor at 10 a.m. and usually ar-

rive at the Nantucket Boat Basin by mid-afternoon. After a day or two of dockside activities at the boat basin, the racers head back to the mainland.

Bird Walk

8 a.m. Friday and Saturday, Maria Mitchell Association, 33 Washington St. Explore Nantucket’s avian landscapes and hidden nooks with Inquirer and Mirror columnist Ginger Andrews. Loaner binoculars available. Dress for the weather. Register on calendar page of www.mariamitchell.org

Nantucket Clean Team

8 a.m. Handlebar Café, 15 Washington St., and the Creeks waterfront opposite Sayle’s Seafood off Washington Street. The Nantucket Clean Team meets Saturdays from spring through fall to pick up trash around the island. Pickers and bags provided.

Dharma Yoga

8:30 and 10 a.m. sessions, Bartlett’s Ocean View Farm, 33 Bartlett Farm Road. Joanne Burnham of Dharma Yoga leads this session to strengthen and lengthen, enliven and invigorate, soothe and calm. Visit www. dharmayoganantucket.com to register or for additional dates and times.

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.

Yin Yoga

9 a.m. Location provided upon registration. Stretching yoga for all ages utilizing slower pacing and longer holds to increase circulation and joint flexibility. Register on events page of www.nantucketconservation.org

Cinema for the Very Young

10:30 a.m. Dreamland Theater, 17 South Water St. A sensory-friendly film/series whose title will not be announced in advance. Free. Children in attendance must be accompanied by a caregiver.

Family Connections Tour

10:30 a.m. Nantucket Whaling Museum, 13 Broad St. Museum guides bring the NHA’s 2026 exhibit, “The Wider World and Scrimshaw,” to life with visual and tactile elements. Concludes with a take-home craft activity in the Discovery Room. Free with museum admission. Register on calendar page of www.nha.org

Read with a Buddy

11 a.m. Mitchell’s Book Corner, 54 Main St. Join Nantucket Island Safe Harbor for Animals’ pet partner therapy teams for a fun, relaxed and non-judgmental way to become more confident and enjoy reading. All ages welcome.

Bartlett Farm Walking Tour

11:30 a.m. Meet in front of farm market, 33 Bartlett Farm Road. A free, 30-minute behind-the-scenes journey into 200 years of agricultural history on this farm owned by the same family since the early 1800s.

Live Music: The Dirty Oars

Noon-3 p.m. Cisco Brewers, 5 Bartlett Farm Road. The Dirty Oars will perform a raucous, fun-filled Memorial Day weekend show. Second show at noon Sunday.

Farm Talk: Beyond Rescue

12:30 p.m. Bartlett’s Farm Hayloft, 33 Bartlett Farm Road. Nantucket Safe Harbor for Animals’ executive director Jessica Castineiras will share plans for NiSHA’s new facility and provide construction and fundraising updates. Q&A to follow.

Children’s Chess Club

1 p.m. Atheneum gallery, 1 India St. Young chess players of all abilities are encouraged to check out the library’s new chess club. Learn the basics or challenge your friends to a game. Bring your own board or play with one of the Atheneum’s. Drop-ins welcome.

Fencing Demonstration

3 p.m. Saltmarsh Senior Center, 81 Washington St. Learn about the tools and techniques that make fencing the chess of sports. Drop-ins welcome.

Live Music: Ian Biggs

4-7 p.m. Cisco Brewers, 5 Bartlett Farm Road. New Haven, Conn. singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Ian Biggs will perform. Second show at 3 p.m. Sunday.

NEW Moon Fest

5 p.m. Sconset Casino, 10 New St., Sconset. The NEW (Nantucket Empowering Women) Fest, showcases films and hosts workshops by and about women highlighting women’s empowerment. Open to 17 and over. Benefits NCTV. Tickets at www.newmoonfest.org

Island Calendar

Sunday, May 24

Birding Meet-Up

8 a.m. Nantucket High School parking lot, 10 Surfside Road. All are invited for a few hours of social birding. Be prepared to carpool. Dress for the weather.

Memorial Day Service

1 p.m. Prospect Hill Cemetery, off Mount Vernon Street. Veterans, family, friends and the community are invited to join the American Legion for a service in honor of those who lost their lives in service to their country.

Beginner’s Ukulele

5:30 p.m. Nantucket Community Music Center, 56 Centre St. No instrument? No problem. Ukuleles availa5ble. All ages welcome. Free.

Monday, May 25

Memorial Day

Drop-in Craft Gam

2 p.m. 1800 House, 4 Mill St. Have an unfinished chair, basket, beading or stitching project? Bring any project and work in the company of other creative people. Free.

MONDAY, PAGE 21

by

(Monday, continued from page 19)

Northwind Party

2 p.m. 73 Easton St. Island jam band Doug & Co. will host its Northwind Party to benefit Nantucket S.T.A.R. (Sports and Therapeutic Accessible Recreation). Great food, open bar and live music. Tickets, $50, available at www.zeffy.com. Rain or shine.

Live Music: Billy Ruegger and Damon Grant

4 p.m. Cisco Brewers, 5 Bartlett Farm Road. Singer-songwriter Billy Ruegger and percussionist Damon Grant will perform. Second show Tuesday.

Tuesday, May 26

Little Riders and Lasting Connections

10 a.m. Tuesdays through June 9. The Creeks Reserve, 2 Milestone Road. A stroller walking group for parents and children eight weeks to five years. Meet new people, enjoy the outdoors and support community wellbeing. Call (508) 957-7423 to register.

Cinema for the Very Young 10:30 a.m. Dreamland Theater, 17 South Water St. A sensory-friendly film/series

Island Calendar

whose title will not be announced in advance. Free. Children in attendance must be accompanied by a caregiver.

Somatic Yoga

12:30 p.m. Atheneum gallery, 1 India St. Forty-five minutes of slow, focused movement concluding with full-body relaxation that will leave you feeling relaxed and recharged. Registration required on calendar page of www.nantucketatheneum.org

Lunch and Learn

Noon, A Safe Place, 19 Amelia Drive. This week’s discussion centers on ways to establish a resource network of services and support for yourself and loved ones. Bring your own lunch. Drinks and dessert provided. All are welcome.

Golden Age Films: “Lust for Life”

1:30 p.m. Dreamland Theater, 17 South Water St. The Dreamland will screen 1956’s “Lust for Life,” starring Kirk Douglas and Anthony Quinn. Free for seniors, $13 for the general public. Tickets at www.nantucketdreamland.org

TUESDAY, PAGE 22

behind the scenes at Bar tlett’s Far m May is THE BEST time to see Bartlett’s greenhouses stuffed full of Farm Grown flowers & produce. Come take a peak at 200 years of farming on Nantucket here at Bartlett’s. From 1795 to today, you’ll see it all first-hand. Book your experience today!

Farm | 33 Bartlett Farm Rd

228 9403 | Bartlettsfarm.com

Island Calendar

Wednesday, May 27

Birding at the Creeks for Seniors

2:30 p.m. Saltmarsh Senior Center, 81 Washington St. The Saltmarsh Center, in collaboration with the Linda Loring Nature Foundation, leads this walk along the Creeks over gentle terrain in search of birds. To register, call (508) 228-4490.

Meditation

5:30 p.m. Atheneum gallery, 1 India St. A short talk, guided meditation and time for quiet reflection or questions. No experience needed. Registration recommended on calendar page of www.nantucketatheneum.org

Open Arts Night

6:30 p.m. Atheneum Great Hall, 1 India St. The stage and mic are still open for any and all, but the library has added an arts a crafts component so people may feel free to come and work on any kind of art project while watching the stage show. Free. All ages welcome.

Nantucket Wine and Food Festival

Through Sunday, headquartered at Bartlett’s Ocean View Farm, 33 Bartlett Farm Road. The Nantucket Wine & Food Festival draws over 4,000 attendees to the island each spring for a week of wine tastings, seminars, receptions and wine dinners offered by an ever growing number of vintners, wineries, renowned chefs and restaurants. www.nantucketwinefestival.com

Birding Field Trip

7:45 a.m. Linda Loring Nature Foundation, 110 Eel Point Road. Explore Nantucket’s birding hot spots and observe birds in their natural habitat. Binoculars, a spotting scope and field guides available to borrow. Free, but registration required on calendar page of www.llnf.org

Toddler Time

10:30 a.m. Atheneum gallery, 1 India St. Educator Melanie Hajjar leads 45 minutes of circle time, hands-on activities, engaging toys to explore and a project to create together.

Reader Advice

11 a.m. Nantucket Atheneum, 1 India St. Annye Camara of the Atheneum’s Readers’ Advisory Group will help you find books tailored to your interests.

Library LEGOs

3 p.m. Atheneum gallery, 1 India St. The library supplies the bricks, the kids provide the creativity. Free, but space is limited.

Wine Fest Welcome Tasting

3 p.m. Mór Wine, 16 Federal St. Beth English hosts a Nantucket Wine & Food Festival welcome tasting and Current Vintage pop-up.

Live Music: Buckle & Shake

4 p.m. Cisco Brewers, 5 Bartlett Farm Road. Nantucket’s own alt-country band Buckle & Shake will perform.

What is a Blue Zone?

4 p.m. Saltmarsh Senior Center, 81 Washington St. What is a blue zone and does Nantucket have the potential to become one? Join Leslie Linsley for a talk that will

reveal what islanders have in common with the healthiest people in the world. Free but reserve your spot by calling (508) 325-4181.

Teen Trivia

4:30 p.m. Atheneum gallery, 1 India St. Teens are invited for an afternoon of trivia. Bring a friend and test your knowledge. Snacks. Intended for 13 and up.

Game Night

5:30 p.m. Atheneum Great Hall, 1 India St. Tabletop board and card games, including Mag-ACK The Gathering and drop-in Dungeons and Dragons. Intended for adults and teens. Free.

Suicide Loss Support Group

5:30 p.m. Fourth Wednesday of each month. Location provided upon registration. A safe and supportive space for suicide loss survivors. Led by sharing Kindness and Fairwinds, this support group is tailored for those 18 and older. Register at https://sharingkindness.org/suicide-loss-survivor-griefgroups/

Teen Dungeons & Dragons

6 p.m. Atheneum gallery, 1 India St. Join the young adult librarian to explore dungeons, battle monsters and let your inner warrior out in a beginner-friendly Dungeons & Dragons club. Intended for ages 1318. Space is limited. Register by e-mailing shurd@nantucketatheneum.org

Knitting Group

6:30 p.m. Atheneum first floor, 1 India St. Curious about learning how to knit? The Atheneum’s veteran knitters can get you started. Stymied by a challenge in your project? The group can help with that. Free. Drop-ins welcome.

Film for Thought: “Magic Hour”

7 p.m. Dreamland Theater, 17 South Water St. The Inquirer and Mirror and the Dreamland will screen the 2026 feature film “Magic Hour,” starring Katie Aselton and Daveed Diggs, as part of their Film for Thought series. Free for Dreamland members. Tickets at www.nantucketdreamland.org

Stargazing and Sips

8 p.m. Loines Observatory, 59 Milk St. Maria Mitchell Association astronomer Jackie Milingo will point out and describe

Island Calendar

the constellations, phases of the moon, the planets and other bodies in Nantucket’s Night Sky. Sip on delicious wine as the stars take over the night. $100. Register on calendar page of www.mariamitchell.org

Trivia Night

8 p.m. The Rose & Crown, 23 South Water St. Test your general trivial knowledge. First place wins a $50 gift card.

Nighttime Tidal Trek

9 p.m. Location provided upon registration. Nantucket Conservation Foundation education coordinator and ecologist Neil Foley discusses ongoing research at the height of horseshoe crab mating season and the ecology of Nantucket’s harbor-facing beaches at night. Headlights or flashlights are recommended. Register on events page of www.nantucketconservation.org

Thursday, May 28

Toddler Story Time

9:30 a.m. Atheneum gallery, 1 India St. Short stories, finger-plays and songs designed to foster literacy skills in children up to 3 years old. Space is limited.

THURSDAY, PAGE 30

Nantucket’s own alt-country band, Buckle & Shake, will play Cisco Brewers Wednesday.

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.

Today

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.

Eat: Wonder, whimsy and community at the new Fairgrounds

(Continued from page 4)

More often than not, people were coming to him with feedback and suggestions for what he should do at The Fairgrounds; he didn’t even have to ask.

“I love that people care so much,” Devine said. “It’s a place that’s really cherished by a lot of people and something I see as a good thing.”

Devine hopes to continue the Puders’ legacy of Fairgrounds as a community gathering place, but also bring his own style and island memories into the picture.

One of the more obvious changes is the name. Under the Puders’ leadership, the restaurant was called Faregrounds and Pudley’s Pub. Devine modified that title to “The Fairgrounds” and gave the restaurant a new sheep mascot.

“I wanted people to still be able to say, ‘Hey, let’s meet at Fairgrounds,’ but I wanted to bring back the (historical) fairgrounds kind of vibe, so literally calling it “‘The Fairgrounds,’ which is what it used to be, made sense to me.”

It’s all in the name

Although the change from “Faregrounds” to “Fairgrounds” is more visual than anything else, it’s still significant to Devine who wants to remind people of the island’s history.

In the 1800s, the land where the restaurant sits was the island’s fairgrounds and the site of many Nantucket Agricultural Society events.

“As I got more into (the research), I realized this was the fairgrounds, the actual Nantucket fairgrounds,” Devine said. “We have these historical pictures up here and that’s kind of where we started to go with the fun stuff.”

Devine sees The Fairgrounds as a gathering space and common denominator for the community, with “the kind of comfort food that everybody can enjoy.”

That mission is visible from the vintage Nantucket Whalers decor to the menu options and Devine’s plans for the future of the restaurant.

“We’re trying to do some stuff that’s a little ridiculous, but in a good way,” he said. “Everything can’t just be efficient or whatever. You have to have some stuff that is just a little whimsical and fun.”

He talks about expanding the green space behind the restaurant, offering fair-inspired foods like cotton candy and softserve ice cream in the summer. He even commissioned a rideable sperm whale for the restaurant, similar to the coin-operated horses you would see outside toy stores 30 to 50 years ago.

Devine speaks with the joy and passion of someone who has been around this industry a long time. In 1946, his grandparents

The Fairgrounds fried chicken sandwich comes with three sauces for dipping or spreading: a creamy and garlicky lemon aioli, the sweet, tomato-based FG Secret Sauce and peppery pimenton aioli with a touch of heat.

bought The Overlook hotel, which is now

The Veranda House, and opened a restaurant by the same name on the first floor. His family owned and operated the hotel until Devine sold the property to another innkeeper in 2006.

“Being back of house there, those are my

earliest memories. It was just so fun, and it was the kind of place, a little bit like Fairgrounds, that was a common denominator,” he said. “Food was a big part of my family. I still have a lot of my great-grandmother’s recipes like kale soup, Easter sweetbreads, recipes that moved through the family for generations.”

Devine’s grandmother was something of an amateur historian, and he has embraced her interest in preserving the past. He mentions a fried-dough recipe she found that had been used by sailors on whaling ships he hopes to bring into his Fairgrounds.

He also talks about his grandfather’s whale-shaped pancakes and playing pranks with rubber eggs in the kitchen. It’s memories like these that invoke a childlike sense of joy and wonder, while still connecting us to our history and roots, that Devine hopes to incorporate in his rendition of The Fairgrounds.

“(The Overlook) was just where you go,” he said. “One of the nice things about casual food is, when it’s well done, everybody can relate to it. Everybody enjoys it.”

He talks about how The Overlook dining room often functioned as a quasi-meeting hall for island groups like the Girl Scouts and the Rotary Club. He hopes The Fairgrounds can be the same sort of place for Nantucket in this generation.

Community space

It was under the Puders, and has remained that way. The students in Nantucket High School’s production of “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat” recently had their cast party at the restaurant.

“That was the most fun I’ve had in here, and it was just as simple as putting some speakers out, some pizza, letting them try the sodas. All of a sudden they’re singing and dancing, so just being able to have a space where people can just have fun and relax and be themselves, at its core, hospitality is making people feel welcome and when you see smiles on people’s faces, that really makes it worth it,” he said.

Devine hopes that people come to The Fairgrounds and feel welcome, relaxed and a

little bit silly: the way he felt with his family at The Overlook in the 1970s and 1980s.

“I have felt really supported by the Nantucket community throughout my life,” he said. “It’s so nice to come back and meet people who were in school with my dad or my grandmother. People have a lot of stories about my grandfather. He was a real practical joker.”

Revamped menu

When revamping the menu for The Fairgrounds, Devine tried to incorporate some moments of fun and silliness. The easiest place to start was with his kids and their friends, asking them what they would like to see, and that’s how they ended up with the pu pu platter.

The appetizer is every kid’s dream: chicken and beef skewers, pork ribs, fried pickles, dumplings, lumpia (spring rolls). It’s great for groups and the perfect way to get a taste of a little bit of everything the restaurant has to offer.

My favorite snacks on the platter were the ribs and pickle fries. The ribs were lathered in a thick peppery barbecue sauce. It was almost difficult to pick them off the platter because the meat was so tender and falling off the bone.

The fries had a great crunch with a crisp fried shell. Despite having all the flavor and juice of a pickle on the inside, the fries were never soggy. Dipping them in the creamy ranch dressing almost elevated the salty flavor of the pickle.

“I’m hoping that people who are coming

here as kids now, have a story to tell when they’re older about it like, ‘I remember we used to come here as kids and get this big platter with all these different things on it,’ or ‘We could go to the soda case and pick out our own soda.’ I like the fun stuff,” Devine said.

Curated soda menu

The soda menu at The Fairgrounds is unlike anything I have seen before. Devine has compiled a dossier of more than 40 carbonated sodas from around the world, and he plans to continue adding more. The soda menu reads like a wine list, with locations and brief descriptions of the flavors: that choice was intentional.

“As a kid, you always watch the adults get their own list for wine or spirits, so we’re getting a list that’s going in a book they can open,” Devine said.

Some sodas on the list are recognizable brands like Poppi and Jarritos. Others are much smaller, craft-type brands.

During my visit, I tried a soda from Forest Water, a based in Nashville with flavors inspired by the Appalachian Mountains. Its Alpine flavor tasted almost like a sparkling tea, with notes of earthy pine and a light sweetness from juniper and elderberry. It would be great in a Hugo spritz.

I also tried the Boylan black cherry. Boylan is known for using pure cane sugar in its craft soda, and you can taste it. The black cherry was a great combination of tart and sweet. It tasted almost like a melted Snocone, which is a compliment.

Along with sodas, Devine offers a wide range of unique coconut waters. I tried the soursop flavor from the brand CoAqua, known for using single-origin Vietnamese coconut water, not concentrate, in its drinks. Soursop is a tropical fruit that tastes like a mix of strawberry, pineapple and citrus. The CoAqua soda tasted almost like lychee, super-light and refreshing. Great for a warm summer afternoon.

“It’s kind of cool where you may be familiar with the flavor but you’ve never had it in that format,” Devine said. “Like the craft beer movement there’s a craft soda movement. There’s a lot of different, really interesting fun places to pull from.”

Casual but elevated

The rest of the menu stays true to what you would expect from a casual, local joint with a few elevated additions.

I really enjoyed the fried chicken sandwich. The chicken was crisp and thin, similar to a chicken cutlet. All the fixings (LTO) came on the side so you can pile on as much or as little as you want.

There are three different sauce options, all of which are extremely different but equally tasty. The lemon aioli was creamy and a little garlic-y with a great bite of lemon flavor. The FG secret sauce is surprisingly sweet with a light tomato flavor. My favorite was the pimenton aioli, peppery with a little bit of heat. It was great on the sandwich and also for dipping fries.

Cellar: Patient hands, an ancient sea and a brilliant succession plan

Courtesy of Peter McEachern

(Continued from page 8)

Pinot Noir and the Pet Nat as the two wines that hold your heart. Why those two, specifically? They’re very different wines from the same place.

A: The Vineyard Ferment Pinot Noir is the most incredible wine to make and really brings me in tune with nature each year. We pick the grapes and process them out in the vineyard so the fruit never comes into the winery. It takes a great deal of “trust the process” to be able to do this, leaving the fermenter at the mercy of nature and it’s temperature fluctuations.

I’m constantly having to check the weather to make sure we have the right cover on the fermenter (soft if it’s sunny to avoid bugs, hard if it’s wet to avoid the rain going inside the fermenting wine). Each day I go into the vineyard and check on the fermen-

ters, which is the most peaceful part of my day, getting out of the hustle and bustle of a busy vintage. The result of this wine is one that truly speaks to the place and time it was made, and it’s hard not to love that.

The Pet-Nat is the first Greystone wine I ever tried and it was so bright and energetic that it really stood out to me. It’s a wine that’s made from an incredible pocket of Riesling on the clay soils and some amazing fruit goes into it. It’s such a fun bottle to share with friends and family and is a reminder not to take life too seriously. There’s always an occasion to open one.

Continuity and evolution: the Vineyard Ferment

The wine that put Greystone on the global wine writers’ map is the Vineyard Ferment Pinot Noir. Beginning in 2012, Dom Max -

well and the team began doing what almost no other winemaker in the world does: rather than carting grapes to the winery, they took inert fermenters into the vineyard and let the fruit ferment in situ, on the very dirt that grew it, with only the wild yeasts native to that spot.

The weather dictated the temperature. The vintage dictated the rhythm. The wines were paler than the estate Pinot, more ethereal and more savory, almost translucent in their detail, and unmistakably Greystone.

It was, in the team’s own words, “bloody hard work.” It was also one of the most honest expressions of place anywhere in cool-climate Pinot. The question for any new winemaker stepping into this cellar is whether to continue, refine or push it somewhere new.

Q: A vineyard ferment program is, by Maxwell’s own admission, “bloody hard work.” Are you continuing it, refining it or

pushing it somewhere new?

A: I will absolutely continue it and feel very privileged to have it in my portfolio. While I agree that it is tough work to make, it’s very rewarding once you have the final product in your glass. I’m happy with the wine at the moment but I am always looking to find ways to improve things. We love the Pinot Noir so much though that I am trialing a vineyard-fermented Chardonnay this year to see how the vineyard can influence a different variety.

Q: Dom talked about “stripping out everything we could” to reveal the vineyard. Is subtraction your instinct too, or does your hand show up somewhere his didn’t?

A: I was mentored by Dom and believe that we have a similar philosophy and approach to winemaking in that we like to showcase the fruit rather than our winemaking. At the same time, every winemaker

inevitably brings part of themselves into the cellar. I’m sure over time my own perspective will begin to show gently in the wines, hopefully in a way that still feels true to Greystone.

Q: Every winemaker inherits a house style and eventually has to decide which parts are the house and which parts were the previous tenant. What do you think is genuinely Greystone, regardless of who’s holding the refractometer?

A: The Greystone vineyard gives us wines with energy, concentration, texture and a very distinct sense of place. While each variety expresses that differently, the combination of clay and limestone creates a character that feels uniquely Greystone. For me, the goal is to continue making wines that could come from nowhere else, wines where the vineyard is immediately recognizable in the glass.

The team and the house the Thomases built

For two decades, Greystone has produced more than wine. It has produced winemakers. {}Mehlhopt i{/span}s the third nationally-credentialed cellar talent the place has nurtured.

Q: Greystone has built a team where assistant winemakers go on to win national titles. What’s actually different about the culture there? What do Debbie and Peter Thomas do that other owners don’t?

A: I believe their influence is giving us the support to pursue our own interests. People do well when they have freedom to chase what excites and grips them the most, and Peter and Debbie are very encouraging for this. The winery and wider business is full of people who like turning up each morning because they are passionate and want to be there. This creates a working environment that drives us all to be the best version of ourselves and to seek out opportunities of growth. Peter has been very encouraging for me to try new things and to be curious, which is how the vineyard-fermented Chardonnay started this year.

Q: You’re now leading a cellar that includes people who taught you. How are you thinking about that?

A: It’s an immense privilege to lead a winery alongside people who have taught and shaped me so much over the last few years. It’s been very important to me to create an environment where everyone feels respected, heard and invested in what we’re making together. I’m very lucky to work with a team that is incredibly skilled and passionate, and I still learn from them every day. I rely on my team to be honest and communicative in the way we operate together and work with the wines. My role is to help give direction, keep us moving forward and make thoughtful decisions while staying open to the knowledge and ideas around me. At Greystone, there’s a strong culture

Cellar: Patient hands, an ancient sea and a brilliant succession plan

(Continued from page 27)

of curiosity and collaboration already, and I want to continue building on that rather than changing it.

It is, in the end, a family business in the truest sense, and Debbie and Peter Thomas are the quiet center of gravity around which the whole enterprise turns.

Awards: A partial accounting

It would be easier to list the competitions Greystone has not won than those it has. The shorthand: a Decanter International Trophy for Best Pinot Noir (2014); multiple Decanter golds for Pinot Noir and Chardonnay across vintages; Air New Zealand Wine Awards Champion Pinot Noir trophies; a 2019 Gold at the New Zealand Organic Wine Awards; a Sydney International Wine Competition Blue-Gold and a Top 100 finish; consistent placement among The Real Review’s Top Wineries of New Zealand; Raymond Chan’s Winery of the Year (2018); Dom Maxwell as Gourmet Traveler New Zealand Winemaker of the Year (2018); Georgia Mehlhopt as

2024 Tonnellerie de Mercurey New Zealand Young Winemaker of the Year; and editorial features in Decanter, Wine Spectator and The Guardian on vineyard innovation. The trophy cabinet is crowded. The next decade will fill it further.

A personal note

I will close with this. In the autumn of 2024, our daughter Isabelle – now pursuing her Wine and Spirit Education Trust diploma in London and working as a sommelier –spent three months on the floor of the Greystone harvest, working through the vintage from sorting tables to fermentation pumps to early-morning vineyard picks.

She came home with calluses, a deeper understanding of cool-climate Pinot than most graduate programs deliver and stories about Debbie, Peter and the team that I will treasure for the rest of my life. Isabelle worked harder there than she has ever worked anywhere, and she came back transformed.

That is the test of a great winery: not the

medals, but what it does to the young people lucky enough to walk into it. Greystone passes that test the way limestone passes water: completely, gracefully and to the lasting benefit of everything downstream.

The land is in there

Q: If you had to put one wine from your time at Greystone into a time capsule for a stranger to open in 2050, which bottle and which vintage, and what would the note inside say?

A: I’d put the 2021 Erin’s Chardonnay in the capsule. It was an incredible year and to me, captures a true reflection of Greystone and the soils. Who knows what the world will be like in 2050 and how the vines and microclimates evolve. There will be changes, even as the vines age, and the wines will change with that too.

Q: Last one. What’s the question wine writers always ask you that misses the point, and what should we be asking instead?

A: People often focus heavily on what happens in the cellar and the technical side of

winemaking. While that absolutely matters, I think the biggest influence on wine quality comes from the vineyard: from the people growing the fruit, the soils and the microclimate of a season. As winemakers we’re ultimately working with what the vineyard gives us, so I’d love to see more attention paid to the farming and the land alongside the cellar decisions.

Pour a glass of Greystone. The land – that ancient sea, those fossil-studded slopes, the patient hands of the Thomas family and the new, sure hands of Georgia Mehlhopt – is in there. It always was. It always will be.

Greystone Wines, 8 Vineyard Lane, Waipara 7483, North Canterbury, New Zealand. The cellar door and restaurant are open Thursday through Monday; the Trust the Chef four-course lunch remains, in my view, the single best wine-country meal on the South Island.

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

Eat: Wonder, whimsy and community at the new Fairgrounds

(Continued from page 25)

Devine has kept the classic Faregrounds pizza. I love a thick, bubbly crust and this pizza delivered. It has a strong shelf and a crisp bite. If you’re a cheese fan, this pizza is for you. It was cheesy, with a little bit of sweet earthiness from the tomato sauce and a great combination of crisp yet fluffy crust. Another dish I particularly enjoyed was the pesto shrimp scampi. Great garlic flavor in the shrimp, I loved the burst of the blistered tomatoes. The pesto tasted fresh

with a comforting basil and olive-oil flavor. It reminded me of something my mom would make growing up, and I would definitely order it again.

Devine’s entire dessert menu is an ode to childlike fantasy. Lava cake, root beer float, fried Oreo, cheesecake and (the big kahuna) skillet cookie.

The caramel pretzel-stuffed chocolate chip cookie was piled high with ice cream, whipped cream and hot fudge. I like to say I have a separate stomach for sweet treats and that definitely came in handy here.

It was a great balance of sweet and salty. The cookie was thin and added a nice crisp texture. The ice cream melting into the cookie was magical, and if you’re a sweet tooth like me, you’ll have a hard time putting that spoon down.

Devine promises to bring the fun and silliness back to Nantucket. He wants to remind us of the era before cell phones, before the Internet, before social media when we had to find our own ways to make fun. From what I’ve seen of The Fairgrounds so far, he does not disappoint.

“It’s about creating environments that are fun for people. Just seeing people smile and relax and have fun is one of my favorite things, so being able to set that up and then see it work, I’d say that’s the best part of it,” Devine said.

I will be returning to the new Fairgrounds. Whether it’s to catch some World Cup action or for another impromptu soda flight, I know I’m in for something fun.

The Fairgrounds, 27 Fairgrounds Road. (508) 228-4095. www.nantucketfairgrounds. com

Walk: Drought, Almanack Pond and a reclaimed cranberry bog

(Continued from page 7)

The seasonal life on Nantucket happens faster than we realize, making it supremely important to take advantage of these fleeting natural experiences when you get the chance. Otherwise, you will have to wait for another shot when next year rolls around. I continue down the road past Almanack

Arts Colony and the entrance to the Nantucket Land Bank’s Beechwood Farm trails where I come to the intersection with Krauthoff Road.

Just behind a curtain of tupelo trees, Almanack Pond resembles more of an Almanack Puddle. The majority of this former pond area is covered with grass which estab-

lished itself in the rich soil once the water receded.

Limited precipitation over the last few years has changed the plant communities of this isolated spot. The tupelo trees, however, hold the story of when the water was high with saturation marks one to two feet off the ground.

This pond would overflow into the road and render the adjacent intersection impassable for most cars. I look at the state of the wetland now and wonder when (or if) it will reach that level again.

Neil Foley is the interpretive education coordinator and ecologist at the Nantucket Conservation Foundation.

Rant: Rust isn’t just a metal problem; Pay attention to plants

(Continued from page 12)

distance itself from the pathogen. This can result in a completely leafless tree as early as July.

Ornamental fruits on hawthorns and shads can also be affected and result in an unsightly mass of powdery, orange fruiting

bodies.

What can be done to prevent rust? An easy task you can do at home is simply rake and remove leaves. Physically removing the diseased leaves away from the tree can help limit exposure the following year. Also, be mindful of overhead irrigation.

Prolonged leaf wetness is a main cause of any fungal problem and being sure to only water the roots of the trees can prevent these long periods of leaf wetness that lead to disease.

These simple cultural practices along with proper soil care can help your trees be less susceptible to disease and have a better

chance of fighting it.

So next time you’re walking around Nantucket take a closer look at our cedars. You may just see something that looks like it’s out of this world.

Vinny Tomasello is an ISA certified arborist with Bartlett Tree Experts.

Island Calendar

(Thursday, continued from page 23)

Memory Café

10 a.m. Our Island Home, 9 East Creek Road. Memory Cafés are safe and comfortable spaces for people all forms of mild cognitive impairment. Caregivers are encouraged but not required to attend. This week’s café will center around creating and completing a ceramics project.

Preschool Story Time

10:30 a.m. Atheneum gallery, 1 India St. A 30-minute story time featuring new and classic stories, finger-plays and songs.

Milestone Center Site Tour

3-4 p.m. Exact location provided upon registration. Nantucket Conservation Foundation president and CEO Cormac Collier and NCF staff lead this tour of the foundation’s future home, featuring a research and education facility and staff housing. Register on events page of www.nantucketconservation.org.

Live Music: Doug & Co.

4-7 p.m. Cisco Brewers, 5 Bartlett Farm Road. Nantucket’s own jam band Doug & Co., inspired by the Grateful Dead, will perform.

Another Daughter of Nantucket

5:30 p.m. Nantucket Whaling Museum, 13 Broad St. Island historian Fran Karttunen will discuss “The Adventures of Nancy Gardener Prince,” the book she wrote with illustrator John Walsh based on Gardner’s autobiography. Free, but registration recommended on calendar page of www.nha. org

Stand-up Comedy: Christian Finnegan

7 p.m. Dreamland Theater, 17 South Water St. The Dreamland and Nantucket Comedy Festival present “Chappelle’s Show” veteran Christian Finnegan. Tickets at www. nantucketdreamland.org

Open Daily 7am - 2pm

Dinner Thursday-Saturday 5:30pm - 9pm

A print or digital subscription to The Inquirer and Mirror gets you immediate access to the stories as they are reported.