April school break seems to have been the kickoff to the season here. Things are opening up. There were a lot of things to do last week, and hopefully, moving forward from here. And there were a lot of unfamiliar folks around, so the visitors have started coming to our fair isle. It’s nice to see things coming alive.
Happy birthday wishes go out this week to Zoe Nugent on April 23, Judy Murry and Melissa Montesion Vasiliadis on April 24, Paulo DeOliveira on April 28, and Holly Mercier on April 29.
Building on the success of last year’s inaugural event, the Martha’s Vineyard Museum is proud to announce the return of the Earth Day Festival. This festival brings together the many organizations on-Island that work to preserve, protect, and sustain the Island’s precious waters, natural areas, and biodiversity. This year’s festival, slated for April 27 from 12 to 3 pm, aims to further unite the Island community and visitors in a shared commitment to the environment. All are invited to celebrate, learn from, and meet with the staff and volunteers from several participating organizations.
You can celebrate Arbor Day on Friday at Polly Hill Arboretum from 1 to 2 pm. Join them for a celebration of trees. They will start with a tour of some notable trees in their collection, followed by a tree-planting demonstration. Registration is not required. Please meet at the Visitor Center.
Also in honor of Arbor Day, they are recruiting volunteers for West Tisbury tree planting on Saturday, April 27. With funding from the town of West Tisbury, the West Tisbury tree advisory committee will hold this event from 9 am to noon in celebration of Arbor Day. The tree committee welcomes volunteers to plant trees acquired by the committee to beautify West Tisbury’s Historic District. The trees will be appropriate for Martha’s Vineyard and for the locations identified in our town. Volunteers will be paired with professional arborists, and will receive training. Refreshments will be provided. To register, contact David Fielder, 571-748-9747, drfisherdavid@gmail.com, or J.T. Hunt, 508-560-3022, jthunt@bartlett.com. People will gather at 9 am at the Grange Hall.
Celebrate Independent Bookstore Day at Edgartown Books on April 27, from 10 am to 6 pm. Meet two best-selling local authors who will be pleased to sign their books and speak to you. Thomas Dresser, historian and author of many books about Martha’s Vineyard, including “Martha’s Vineyard: A History,” will be there from 11 am to 1 pm, and Gregory Mone, author or co-author of 16 books for kids and adults, will be there from 2 to 3 pm. “Sea of Gold” is his first book in a series of pirate adventures that will follow the characters around the world. Plus there will be a drawing for a prize valued at $150. Head to the bookstore on Saturday, April 27, to enter.
Join family and friends to help clean almost 30 beaches on Saturday, April 27, from 10 am to noon. Volunteers will be there with bags and gloves, or as always, bring your own. If you’d like to sign up as a volunteer to help put beach kits together, and pass out bags and gloves, please email info@vineyardconservation.org or call 508-693-9588.
Join Island Alpaca Co. for their annual Shearing Day Celebration on Saturday, April 27, 2024, from 10 am to 3 pm. Get up close to watch professional alpaca shearers harvest the fleece from Island Alpaca’s herd of 35 alpaca, including three cria (babies), and two llamas. Learn how this luxurious fiber transitions from fleece to fashion, and then visit their farm store to find the beautiful, soft yarns and locally produced garments from these wonderful animals. Spinning demonstrations, raffles, refreshments, and loads of furry, friendly, family fun. For more information, visit islandalpaca.com; $8 per person. Reserve your tickets in advance at this link: bit.ly/IslandAlpacaShearing.
Calling all Swifties: Attend a Taylor Swift–inspired brunch extravaganza at Town Bar & Grill on Saturday, April 27, from 11:30 am to 3 pm. Get ready to shake it off and indulge in a brunch experience like no other, inspired by the one and only Taylor Swift. Whether you’re a diehard fan or just love good vibes and great food, this event is for you. Enjoy a brunch filled with bracelet making, custom drinks, special brunch dishes, and Taylor’s music. Don’t forget to dress up!
There will be a presentation, “North Atlantic Right Whales: A Species on the Brink,” at the Vineyard Haven library on Tuesday, April 30, at 5:30 pm. This will be a presentation on the status of the North Atlantic right whale, one of the most endangered marine animals on Earth. The marine education director at the Center for Coastal Studies in Provincetown, Jesse Mechling, will share natural history information about the North Atlantic right whale, as well as the center’s current research, including aerial surveillance and habitat and food-resource monitoring.
And that’s a wrap. I hope folks who traveled for April vacation had a wonderful time. Feel free to share your adventures with me at ggardnermv@gmail.com. Have a great week.
If you have any Edgartown Town Column suggestions, email Gail Gardner, ggardnermv@gmail.com.
