Fall is rapidly disappearing over the horizon as we bid farewell to Columbus Day weekend. Crowds were everywhere, shopping, sightseeing, or just socializing with friends they probably might not see again until Spring. It seems as if even the Saturday rain did not discourage shoppers or some events.
For the first time, my daughter, granddaughter, myself, and even my great grandson decided to hold a yard sale, on the one rainy day of the weekend, Saturday. Postponed until Sunday, we held it in competition with numerous other sales, seemingly on every block. But preparing for the sale was an experience through the past for me. As I browsed through possible items for sale, I found myself scanning old books and items that I had insisted on saving throughout the past years, because “some day” I might need them, or I was absolutely going to finish that handwork that my mother had never completed. I was able to release many of these things that, in my heart, I knew would never be finished or used by me as I realized that the memories that they held for me, I would always have and cherish more than the material items I was letting go.
Many college students returned to their families here for the weekend. Among them were Jackie Swan from Brown University, Matt Marchand from Providence College and my grandson Jeremy Alley-Tarter from Assumption College. As this is their first year of college, they were enthusiastically received by their families with cries of, “I am so glad to see you,” and, “You have grown so much.” And then they were off to greet their friends who they had not seen for a couple of months.
We knew the town was extra busy this summer and this was confirmed as Oak Bluffs Association (OBA) president Dennis daRosa claims an exceptional summer for Oak Bluffs this year. According to Mr. daRosa, the information booth manager, John Newsom, reported a 30 percent increase in the number of visitors (45,000+) requesting assistance at the booth in July and August this year. And there were also record crowds at both the Harbor Festival in June and Tivoli Day in September with almost double the number of vendors at both events. There are still more events to look forward to: the Artist’s Ball on Sunday, October 26 at Dreamland; the traditional Town Tree Lighting on Wednesday, December 3; and the Annual Santa Sweepstakes beginning on November 29 and continuing through December 19. Many thanks for the hard work and good examples set by OBA member Erik Albert and planning board chairman Brian Packish for organizing “Civic Pride” cleanup efforts that have twice now united citizens of Oak Bluffs to hit the streets with brooms, rakes, and trash bags with the goal of keeping the heavily traveled downtown area clean and much more attractive.
On Saturday, October 18, from 12 noon to 3 pm, the First Baptist Church in Vineyard Haven will sponsor the first annual Oktoberfest in Vineyard Haven. There will be sausage, homemade sauerkraut, hot dogs, and Offshore Ale root beer sold concession style and an Oompah Band providing music. Crafts, vendors, baked and fresh produce tables will offer items for sale. There will be games for kids: water balloon throw, lucky ducks, a Puppet Show at 2 pm. Stop by and enjoy the fun for all ages!
Tom Dresser will speak about his new book, Music on Martha’s Vineyard, at Friday Morning Conversations at the Oak Bluffs Senior Center on Friday, Oct 31, from 10 to 11:30 am. Tom traces the musical journey of Vineyarders from the days of whaling chanteys and the Tivoli dance hall, to the Moon Cusser Cafe and the Hot Tin Roof, and he will discuss the numerous interviews with Island musicians, as well as the backgrounds of many musical groups.
I think Halloween will be found everywhere this year. The library presents a scary program: Dark Passages, Masters of Horror on Tuesday, October 28, at 6:30 pm. Come and hear works by masters of horror read aloud, including Poe, Hawthorne, and others, read by Holly Nadler, Gwyn McAllister, Gerry Yukevich, and Anna Marie D’Addarie. Good, scary fun!
We send birthday smiles to granddaughter Kayla Bryn deBettencourt, Richard Mello Sr., and Janice Duarte on October 17, Vincent Frye and Fritz Knight on the 18th, Erich Luening on the 19th, Nathan Francis, Saige Araujo and Jeannie Holenko share the 20th, and Judy Williamson the 22nd.
Enjoy your week. Peace.