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06 Oct 2015

Dancing On Nantucket!

In the 1980 big screen hit “Caddyshack,” the outrageous and irreverent Al Czervik (played by the hilarious icon Rodney Dangerfield) is seen schooling his caddy on the fairway in the fine art of “not whimpering” about the heavy bag he’s carrying. Fed up with the lecturing, the caddy stops cold and retorts, “so what?” To which Czervik (aka Dangerfield) rips open his golf bag, flips on the built-in stereo pre-set to Journey’s “I’m All Right” and shouts “So What?? So, Let’s DANCE!”
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That was exactly the mood on Nantucket last week when the rain started falling and the wind started howling, refusing to subside. In the midst of the torrential downpour, hundreds of locals headed to the Nantucket Yacht Club for the annual Scalloper’s Ball and shouted a collective (if not audible), “So What?? So, Let’s DANCE!”
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Hosted by the Nantucket Shellfish Association, the ball celebrates the start of scalloping season with a blowout party. There was a wide variety of fresh seafood on hand (including the always popular raw bar), a silent auction and a fantastic live band that made it easy to take to the dance floor. The best part of the event was the opportunity to re-connect with Nantucket friends and neighbors after a busy summer season of collectively serving our island tourists and guests.
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It’s utterly amazing on a tiny body of sand in the middle of the ocean how infrequently we see the other people who call the island home when we’re all in our summertime “full court press.” It’s equally amazing – and comforting – to reconnect with each other as the pace slows and the crowds thin. The mood at the ball was festive and jovial with hugs and handshakes abounding. If felt like a family reunion of sorts as every face was familiar and even those we didn’t know personally were warm and welcoming. Nantucket has made national press for being one of the “best small towns in America.” I was reminded while people watching at the ball how lucky we are to call this unique small town home.
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The Scalloper’s Ball is just one of many of the fun events Nantucket serves up in the off season. This coming weekend is the Annual Cranberry Festival and soon it will be time for the Thanksgiving Turkey Plunge and Christmas Stroll. Make plans now to take advantage of the quiet shoulder season to attend a special function or just enjoy the raw beauty of the island before she begins to settle in for her long winters nap.
Have a ball!
Shellie Dunlap
 
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