After two years on the wagon due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Nantucket Wine and Food Festival returns this May and is juicier than ever. As you might expect, the look and feel of this year’s festivities will be slightly different than the jam-packed pre-pandemic bacchanals of yore. The big airy tents will be the same on the White Elephant’s back lawn, but attendance to the marquee events—namely the Harbor Gala and Grand Tastings—has been reduced by half from around a thousand people to five hundred. (Attendees will be required to show proof of vaccination.) While there will be much more space to move around, the wines and foods available for tasting will still be loaded with exquisite options thanks to twenty-five world-renowned chefs and thirty-five winemakers.

“Every year we were growing a bit more and a bit more,” said NWF Executive Director Nancy Bean. “But the roots of the festival have always been boutique, so we’re going back to those roots by being a bit smaller and intimate.” Focusing on quality over quantity, Bean and her team are emphasizing their exclusive luncheons and dinners. “That’s the piece that sets us apart,” she said. “The charm, the boutique-feel, the access…you actually get to meet the winemakers and the chefs. It’s not a big tradeshow.”

Beginning with the Wednesday evening Welcome Reception on the back deck of the White Elephant, which primarily showcases local purveyors, the festival will roll out nearly forty highly curated events. From its trademark Grand Wines in Grand Homes—featuring such blockbusters as Opus One, Ovid, Krug and local favorite Donelan Family Wines—to the ever-intriguing James Bond’s Bordeaux Luncheon, to the four Grand Tastings, the festival will deliver the high-caliber experience that it has been known for, while harking back to the nostalgic early days of Denis Toner’s festival. This year’s festival also brings in some new breakout talents from around the globe, including an array of stunning Chilean wines as well as a unique United Kingdom program called “Food Is Great,” featuring the best English sparkling wines.

“We’ve received an outpouring of support from the community,” Bean said. “It wasn’t hard to get participants back with us…they were ready.” Indeed, like April daffodils blooming, the return of the Nantucket Wine and Food Festival signals to many a much-awaited return to Nantucket normalcy after a long, long COVID winter.

The 24th annual Nantucket Food and Wine Festival will be held from May 18-22. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit NantucketWineFestival.com.