The time has now come in Aquinnah when you can safely say “Happy spring.” Although it is not as green in town as it is down-Island, the trees are budding (so too is the poison ivy — watch out!), the daffodils are fading but will soon be replaced by irises, and the lilacs are blooming. I wouldn’t put your winter clothes away just yet, but you are probably not going to need snow pants again until at least October. It’s nice to see people out in their gardens, clearing beds and making things pretty.
The Howes House home of the Up-Island Council on Aging is still closed to in-person events. They are, however, doing virtual events and notifying people of them via email. If you would like to be on their email list, please contact coa-clerk@westtisbury-ma.gov to begin receiving their emails.
I heard that the M.V. Community Greenhouse plant sale is quite good. Lots of organic plants, starters, and herbs. This weekend, May 15, and Sunday, May 16, and Memorial Day Weekend from 10 am to 4 pm at 114 New York Ave., in Oak Bluffs.
This Saturday the Yard hosts a virtual interactive workshop titled “Incorporating East Africa Music and Dance Experiences into the Classroom Curriculum.” The workshop is from 2 to 5 pm. Through guided improvisations and creative dance-making, participants will explore themes that Uganda and Martha’s Vineyard have in common, including domestic animals, harvesting, and water. No prior experience is necessary, and all are welcome, go to dancetheyard.org to register.
Live performance is coming back to Martha’s Vineyard “ThRough” — an immersive dance theatre collaboration by Abby Bender, Lisa Gross, and Jesse Jason, will be performed May 21 to 23 and May 28 to 31 at 8 pm. “ThRough” reframes the isolation, anxiety, shame, and all-around stupor posed by events of 2020. Go to eventcreate.com/e/through to reserve your tickets. Spots are extremely limited.
The Martha’s Vineyard Book Festival will also be live this summer on August 6 through 10 at the Chilmark Community Center. It will be held outdoors with authors Elizabeth Kolbert, “Under a White Sky,” Heather McGhee, “The Sum of Us,” Sadeqa Johnson, “Yellow Wife,” Deesha Philyaw, “The Secret Life of the Church Ladies,” Danielle Dreilinger, “The Secret History of Home Economics,” Patricia Sullivan, “Justice Rising — Robert Kennedy’s America in Black and White,” and Simon Winchester, “Land.” Tickets for these and all talks will be available in the coming weeks through mvbookfestival.com.
The Chilmark Road Race may be live, the committee is still deciding. They are working with the Chilmark board of health and considering state and local regulations. If the race is live, it may be open to fewer runners than usual, the course may be modified, and start times may be staggered. If they cannot do a live event, the race will be held virtually as it was last year. Whatever happens, it will be held on Saturday, August 14. The Gay Head 10k race committee will be meeting in the next couple of weeks to decide what/how to hold the race this year. It was cancelled last year due to the pandemic, but it would be nice to see it happen this year. The race is traditionally held the first Sunday in October.
Paula and David Eisenberg should be back in Aquinnah by the start of next week. They are currently visiting David’s mother in Florida. Happy Birthday to Aquinnah Witham, who celebrates on May 17, and to Allison Cameron Parry, who celebrates on May 19.
If you have any Aquinnah Town Column suggestions, email Molly Purves, mlpurves@yahoo.com.
