The story goes, a sailor at sea with a thick Boston accent yells “where the fug ah we?,” and that turns into a Memorial Day weekend tradition better known as Figawi.
The sailing regatta launches over 200 boats to take on the choppy 30-mile journey from Hyannis to Nantucket along Nantucket Sound. The race begins off the Hyannisport Jetty and concludes off the entrance to Nantucket Harbor. The race began in 1972 with just three friends and is now one of the most well-known regattas on the East Coast.
It’s the official start to summer on the island of Nantucket, with all of the retail shops opening up to welcome visitors for one of the biggest Nantucket summer weekends.
The main day of sailing is Saturday, May 23, with festivities running Friday, May 22 through Sunday, May 24. The CapeFlyer conveniently launches directly from Boston to Hyannis this weekend, making it a car-free alternative to travel to Hyannis. Spectators are advised to watch the boats launch from Kalmus Beach in Hyannis from 8-10 AM on Saturday as boats make their way to the start line before traveling Nantucket Sound.
