The late Connie Q. Umberger, Nantucket Lighthouse School grandmother and former Chair of the Board, founded the Nantucket Garden Festival as a fundraiser for the school, which has long used gardening as an educational tool. The Festival raises operating and scholarship funds and supports the school's unique horticulture curriculum.

Throughout the years, the Festival has celebrated island gardening through informative workshops, exquisite garden tours, educational and inspirational keynote addresses, creative family activities, parties and more.


“Starting children on a path understanding how a garden works is noble work indeed for it is fundamental to a healthy life and a healthy planet. Knowing and growing plants you can eat or enjoy simply for their beauty throughout a lifetime of observation is just one more joy a gardener knows well although no one ever knows them all. There are just too many. Shall we begin the journey?”
— Russell Morash, Russell Morash Chair in Horticulture

Nantucket Lighthouse School's educational garden and greenhouse provide students with a living laboratory and a deeper connection to the natural world. Advised by long-time friend and Nantucket Garden Festival supporter, Russell Morash, our weekly horticulture classes allow children to grow, experiment, observe, and learn to care for the environment.