Vineyard Artisans’ Labor Day weekend sendoff

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Find "Parlor Tricks" by Rocco Vitelle at the Vineyard Artisans Fair. —Rocco Vitelle

In a sendoff to the summer arts season, Vineyard Artisans will hold its Labor Day weekend festival Sept. 1 to 3. Over the past 22 years, this show has become a fixture in the Island arts scene.

Rocco Vitelle began selling his puzzles at the Labor Day show last year. “As an artist on the Vineyard,” he said, “[Vineyard Artisans] is the best way to get your art out there. I’m not your landscape or beach scene artist, and the Island doesn’t have the same resources as Boston or New York for my kind of stuff.” Mr. Vitelle described his style as Disney meets Dali, surreal, kind of cartoonish.

Selling through the Artisans Festivals and the Chilmark Flea, Mr. Vitelle said, “It’s nice to see people being into puzzles rather than being on the Internet all of the time.” Venues like the festivals and the Flea also allow for face-to-face interaction between the customer and artist.

The festival will feature all kinds of Island artisans, including live music and weaving. The show is at the Ag Hall on Sept. 1 from 5:30 to 8:30 pm, and Sept. 2 and 3 from 10 am to 5 pm.

Parking is $2.