Having lived on Cape Cod for twenty-two years, I can easily list the greatest parts of living here: access to the best lobster bisque one will ever consume, laying in the sand, listening to the waves on the Cape’s pristine beaches, shopping until you can’t fit any more Cape Cod bracelets on your wrist…the list goes on. However, with the all the upsides also come some downsides: the summer traffic, finding an open spot on one of those pristine beaches, and having to venture over the bridge to see your favorite band in concert. Being in such a remote location (more than an hour from the closest city on a good day) makes it tricky to see a show at the TD Garden or attend a music festival at the Xfinity Center in Mansfield.
Well Cape Cod music fans, your prayers have been answered. The Nantucket Music Festival, set to take place from August 2-3 at Tom Nevers Field, will replace your tedious car ride over the bridge in search of a concert with a relaxing, scenic ferry ride to Nantucket. Boston legends, Dispatch will join the incredible roster of 20 bands set to perform, including Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros, Guster, Steel Pulse, Donovan Frankenreiter, Lukas Nelson & P.O.T.R., Entrain, Ayla Brown, Crash, Freddy Clarke, Ben Taylor and a host of local and regional talent. Grammy-winner Bruce Hornsby will also be performing at a separate, catered event on Sunday. Over fifty tents featuring food, artisan vendors and activities for children will be spread out on either side of two stages. If all that isn’t reason enough to get your tickets, net proceeds from the 2014 Nantucket Music Festival will benefit the Nantucket Community Music Center through the non-profit Celebrate Music Foundation, Inc.
The price for this weekend of non- stop music? Well if you’re a child under twelve, admittance is free. Tickets start at $75 on sale and in person at Jetties Beach daily between 4 and 7 p.m. and at Nantucket Sewing and Design above the Hub at 1 Federal Street daily between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. You can also purchase tickets on Ticketfly for $85. Cape Cod is truly an enchanting place to live and vacation for so many reasons. Music fans can now add The Nantucket Music Festival to their list of reasons to stay on this side of the bridge.
-Rebecca Ferrick
