School is out! Summer is here, and the weather is almost consistently springlike. I’m sure it will be hot enough to go in the water by the Fourth of July, or at least put on a bathing suit, right?
Philbin Beach is officially open and ready for business. Beach passes are being sold every day at town hall from 9 am to noon. They will not be sold at the Philbin Beach shack this summer. Remember that you can also download the beach pass form from the town website, mail it in, and have your passes waiting for you to pick up at town hall. Your town parking pass will expire at the end of this month, so at the very least you want to get that one renewed.
The Aquinnah Public Library is gearing up for summer; they are finalizing the speaker series that will be held on Thursdays. Kids can start signing up for Summer Reading this week. The Island Wide Summer Reading kickoff will be held on July 6 at the Ag Hall. This week, the library hosts book club on Thursday, June 20, at 3 pm. They will discuss “Miracle Creek” by Angie Kim. Story Time will be held on Thursday at 3:30 pm and Saturday at 10:30 am, kids’ crafts will be on Saturday from 11 am to 3 pm. Look for the return of music on the deck, happening in July.
The First Congregational Church of West Tisbury will host their annual Strawberry Festival this Saturday from noon to 4 pm: There will be strawberry shortcake with whipped cream, strawberries and ice cream, strawberry smoothies, and lemonade. There will be treats to eat there or take home, with live music playing throughout the festival. All proceeds of this fundraiser help support this historic church and our Island community. This event happens rain or shine.
Elio Silva of Vineyard Market will share his vision about what economic sustainability could look like on Martha’s Vineyard at 3:30 on Monday, June 24, at the West Tisbury Grange Hall in a talk titled “A Sustainable Island.” The floor will be open for discussion after the talk, and everyone is welcome to attend. This talk is part of World Market Mondays, which is in its third season. There will be crafts available that are produced by economically empowered groups of women and families in Haiti, Tanzania, India, Palestine, and Zambia. There will be a different speaker each week at 3:30 pm, addressing a range of topics relating to social and economic justice.
Kara Taylor will host her opening reception at her gallery in Chilmark on June 30 at 5 pm. Kara is an industrious and talented artist, and if you can make it, you won’t be disappointed. Kara’s gallery is at 24 South Rd.
Island Grown Initiative will host free community lunches at different locations on the Island throughout the summer, starting July 8. They will be at the West Tisbury library on Tuesday and Friday, and the Oak Bluffs library on Wednesday and Friday, both locations from noon to 1 pm. Lunch will be served at the Family Center on Monday and Thursday from 11:30 am to 12:30 pm. The lunches will run until August 16, everyone is welcome.
Congratulations to Clyde Smith, who graduated from the West Tisbury School and is on to high school next year. Congratulations to Claus Smith and Hunter Broderick, who both finished at Chilmark School and will head to West Tisbury School next year. Congratulations to Levi Vanderhoop, who is all done with high school. That must feel good, I think it must, but it’s been so long since I graduated from high school I don’t really remember. Happy birthday to Faith Smalley, who celebrates on June 20, to Adam Wilson on June 23, and to Mary McConneloug, who celebrates on June 24.