Nantucket Wine Festival

Nantucket Wine Festival is a grand tasting wine festival held annually each spring in Nantucket, Massachusetts — 30 miles off the coast of Cape Cod — spanning 5 days from May 27 through May 31, 2026. The festival draws leading winemakers and renowned chefs to the island for a multi-event program that includes an Opening Reception, a Harbor Gala, La Fete, wine dinners, tastings, cooking demonstrations, and wine and food seminars. Programming continues to be added through March, and tickets are on sale now.

The Nantucket Wine Festival is structured as a series of individual events rather than a single grand tasting, which means attendees purchase tickets to specific experiences. Among the 2026 offerings is Great Wines in Grand Houses, a limited-capacity event for which ticket holders receive the venue address by email one week before the festival — adding an element of anticipation to the format. A community-oriented Yappy Hour supports the Nantucket Island Safe Harbor for Animals (NISHA), with Tito's Handmade Vodka matching all funds raised. The festival also has an official retail partner, allowing guests to purchase wines tasted during the event. The registration and information desk for the Nantucket Wine & Food Festival is located at The Nantucket Hotel.

All Nantucket Wine Festival events are strictly 21 and older — no children or infants are permitted, including those in strollers or carriers. Tickets are non-refundable but may be gifted; the ticketing provider, Squad Up, offers insurance covering the ticket price in the event of a cancellation. E-tickets with barcodes are delivered digitally and can be presented via mobile device or printed. Each ticket can only be scanned once. Visitors planning to attend are encouraged to join the festival mailing list for programming updates, as new events are added on a rolling basis through March.

Nantucket's island setting shapes the character of this festival in a way few mainland events can replicate. Accessible only by ferry or small aircraft, the island's limited capacity gives each event a more controlled, intimate scale. The surrounding Atlantic waters influence the local food culture — particularly shellfish — which pairs naturally with the crisp whites and sparkling wines often featured at spring tastings on the island.