Washington Park, next to Our Market in Oak Bluffs, was the scene last Saturday afternoon, Sept. 10, of a relaxed music festival, which segued into a nighttime party at the Lampost on Circuit Avenue.
As of 3 pm, people started gathering in the park where a handful of vendors sold clothes, jewelry, and miscellany, and the popular Irie Bites truck did a brisk business in their Jamaican specialties. Under a tent towards the back of the park, people were given the opportunity to try their skill at hula hooping.
People — and a few dogs — relaxed on the grass to enjoy performances by a good sampling of local musicians. The second annual Best Fest, a fundraiser for WVVY radio, was put together by Rob Myers, who plays in a number of local bands and is also a DJ and board member for WVVY.
Nancy Jephcote and Paul Thurlow led off the lineup of acoustic musicians, which included Rick O’Gorman, Nina Violet, Marciana Jones, The Kahoots, The Taxidermists, and The Beatles cover band The Daytrippers. Twelve-year-old singer/songwriter Nate D’Angelo performed a song of his own, which was well received by the audience.
A 20-piece brass band from Providence, the Extraordinary Rendtion Band, made appearances throughout the day. They marched around the field wearing a variety of fun red and white costumes and made for a colorful, rag-tag, energetic outfit. The band later led a mini parade from The Flying Horses to Post Office Square and marched the crowd into The Lampost where the festival’s louder, electrically enhanced bands performed from around 9 pm to 1 am.
At The Lampost, festival-goers enjoyed music by Dunemoor (members of the Extraordinary Rendition Band), Auntie Em and the Bedspins, Eric Luening and the Lunatics, Mercy Beat, Ol’ Tucker and the Blind Willies, and Good Night Louise. Music from DJs Irie Bomber, Island Thunder, and DJ Cartel kept the party going until closing time.
The festival raised around $1,000 through the $5 entry fee to The Lampost and donations. Mr. Myers says of the daylong festival, “It exceeeded my expectations. Last year was really great and we knew we had a good idea on our hands and we could build on it.” He adds, “The town of Oak Bluffs was really great to work with.”
WVVY fundraiser Thursday
There is another fundraiser for WVVY this Thursday, Sept. 15, at Flatbread Company at Nectar’s. A portion of pizza sales from 5 to 9 pm benefits the radio station, as well as a silent art auction, featuring art from Traeger diPietro, Mikey Rottman, Rocco Vitelle, Darcie Lee Hanaway, Maury de Geofroy, jewelry by Jamie Rogers and Alexandra Rothwell, and many more.
