Colossal Fun for the Whole Family
by Zoë Kirsch
Let’s play a word association game! When I say, “Nantucket,”what animal do you think of? You readers will likely give varying responses because you all have different island wildlife experiences. Perhaps, you associate snapping turtles with Nantucket because, as a child, the highlight of your Nantucket summers was feeding those prehistoric-looking, beady-eyed creatures chunks of grainy, brown bread. Possibly, when you hear the word “Nantucket,” you close your eyes and envision seagulls swooping through salty sea air. Or maybe, “Nantucket” means bluefish and bass to you fishermen out there.
Had you lived during the late 1700s and early 1800s on Nantucket and had you’d been asked what animal you associate with our Fair Isle, only one answer would have come to mind. You would have replied, “The whale!”
The whale has left a great, big footprint (“fin-print” would be more appropriate) upon the sandy soil of Nantucket past. A visit to the Whaling Museum at 13 Broad Street will teach you all about the whaling industry and how it affected our island, which was once the whaling capital of the world.
This week, readers who justifiably revere the great, watery mammals, as well as those of you who haven’t discovered whale secrets, are in luck. The Nantucket Historical Association (NHA), in collaboration with the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) and the Water Education for Teachers Project (WET), has pulled out all stops to bring you a treat: the island’s first Family Whale Festival.
The cetacean celebration, which runs Friday, July 17 and Saturday, July 18 from 12 noon to 4 pm at the Whaling Museum on Broad Street, is truly designed to satisfy the entire family. What’s more, it’s free for NHA members and costs only the price of museum admission for others!
Chris Mason, Public Programs Coordinator at the NHA, explains how the festival came about: “The concept began with Kim McCray, the Director of Interpretation Education here at the NHA. She came up with the idea. Though it has been predominately me behind management and program planning, we’ve been planning the Whale Festival together.”
While assembling the Festival agenda, event coordinators focused on “educating families and visitors about the history of the whale, its place in the world today, its natural history, and its biology,” says Mason. That means the event entails (no pun intended) a lot of learning. The activities planned truly are testaments to that old adage, “learning can be fun!”
Parents and children can expect “a wide range of hands-on activities,” Mason expounds. At the Whale Festival, visit the “Sand Table” to “find out what you can do to protect your beaches from pollution and keep the ocean safe for whales.” If you’re feeling mellow when the event rolls around, peruse whale themed books with one another (a great occasion for young children to practice reading!) in the “Reading Space.” Listen to informative and lively speakers to learn the true story behind Moby Dick.
Mason highlights some of the several intriguing and fun activities: “Imitation scrimshaw, drawing whales, listening to whales (an activity being provided by IFAW), and whale origami are sure to be popular.” He continues: “Drawing whales with chanteyman Don Sineti is definitely a unique experience. He educates visitors of all ages about whales. He’ll sing and play music on the banjo, as well as other instruments, as they’re drawing.”
What differentiates a visit to the Whaling Museum on any day from a visit to the Festival? “The Festival is going to concentrate solely on the whale, as opposed to the history of Nantucket, which is really what the Whaling Museum does. We’ll still have access to the museum and all of its collections, but we’ll have an abundance of other activities as well.”
With its admirable focus and array of family friendly activities, the Whale Festival is sure to make a splash!
