Nantucket Cranberry Festival – October 6th, 2018

The Nantucket Cranberry Festival will be held at the Milestone Cranberry Bog on Saturday October 6, 2018 from 11:00 – 4:00 pm.

Come out to the Festival grounds and watch the berries being harvested, learn about the history of cranberry farming on Nantucket, participate in the family activities or just kick back and enjoy the music and the spectacular autumn scenery of one of the most unique and beautiful places on our Island.  Don’t forget to bring home a pound, or two, of Nantucket Cranberries for the Holidays and try our recipe at the end of this article.

FUN

• Cranberry harvesting – several bogs near the Festival grounds will be harvested throughout the day
• Live music provided by Four Easy Payments
• Kid’s Events with Marjory Trott– sack races, face painting, tug of wars and much more
• Hay rides
• Nanpuppets
• Berry Bouncing Machine demonstration
• Antique tractor displays
• Petting zoo with goats, ducks and other farm animals

FOOD

• B-ACK YARD BBQ –  Nantucket’s own Back Yard BBQ will be at the Festival this year serving up their famous pulled pork sandwiches, BBQ chicken, brisket and other delights! After the Festival, be sure to visit their restaurant on Straight Wharf for their complete menu of barbecued deliciousness.
• Sweet Inspirations – Chocolate covered cranberries and other confectionery delights in the main tent.
• ACK Fresh – Freshly-pressed, raw, organic juices made from local fruits, vegetables and Nantucket Cranberries.
• Bartlett’s Farm – House baked cookies, cranberry granola, cranberry pies,  and more!
• Wicked Island Bakery – Freshly made cranberry cookies, cranberry pecan quickbread, coffee and other cranberry goodies.
• Catering by Laura – Hot Dogs, home-made clam chowda, cookies and drinks.  And , of course……
• CRANBERRIES! – Fresh from the bogs! Both Genuine Nantucket Cranberries and Windswept organic cranberries will be available.

Free admission but parking is $20.00 a car.

Driving directions from Town:  At the Rotary head east on Milestone Road toward ‘Sconset. At 4.2 miles from the Rotary there will be a brown rock on the left hand side of the road with the number “220? on it. Continue on Milestone Road for another 100 yards and turn left.  Source: www.nantucketconservation.org

Nantucket Crockpot Cranberry Butter

2 12-oz bags of Nantucket cranberries, rinsed

1 cup packed brown sugar

1 whole cinnamon stick

1 cup apple cider

Instructions

Put all the ingredients in a crockpot and stir to combine well. Turn on high. Let it cook for about 2 hours or until the cranberries are soft.

Remove the cinnamon stick and puree the mixture in a food processor. Do this in two batches. Be careful as the mixture is hot, I cover the top opening of the machine with a dish cloth. Let the machine run for a full minute to puree the cranberries very finely.

1. Force the cranberry puree through a mesh sieve or strainer (remove cinnamon stick before pureeing). Push forcefully with the back of a spoon to get as much cranberry puree as you can. Discard the solids.
2. Pour the puree back into the crockpot. Turn the crockpot to high, and leave the lid ajar. Cook until thickened, approximately another 2 hours, stirring occasionally.
3. Put the cranberry butter into clean jars with tight fitting lids and let cool. Store in the refrigerator and consume within a month.