The time is nigh when many of us lose our partners to the siren call of the 79th annual M.V. Striped Bass and Bluefish Derby. The 2024 Derby begins at 12:01 am this Sunday, Sept. 15, and ends at 9 pm on Saturday, Oct. 19. It’s a special time of year that heightens our awareness of the passing of time, adapting to changes, handing off of traditions, conservation, camaraderie, and reflection. The museum has a plethora of stories about the history of fishing the Island waters in the Research Library, the hall “One Island, Many Stories,” and the “Hands-On History” room for young learners.
The Derby organizers work year-round to keep this tradition alive, dynamic, and mindful. In a recent conversation with John Custer, president of the Derby Committee and Tisbury School principal, he shared that the committee was increasing not only the number of ways fisherfolk can win prizes, but also recognizing that daily weigh-in monetary prizes hadn’t changed for at least 25 years, and has doubled them from $20 to $40. He was proud to reveal that they gave away close to $100,000 in scholarships to Island students in 2024, and that the iconic fisherman Janet Messineo will be ringing the opening bell this Sunday morning at 8 am. Eligible fish are bluefish, bonito, and false albacore (little tunny).
There are many things that, again, mark the passing of time like this. Namely, how your museum closes and opens exhibitions. Last Sunday, “Clifford: Our Big Red Dog,” closed after two extensions. Opening in that same space will be “The Hollinshead, Cox, and Fleischner Galleries.” Then Sept. 19 will be “Human/Nature: Art and Conservation on Martha’s Vineyard.” This will invite visitors to explore the Island’s sacred and protected open spaces, each with its own story to tell. Through the work of Island artists, visitors will be immersed in these landscapes and their histories, providing a deeper understanding of the Island’s natural environment and the ongoing efforts to safeguard it. There will be a related program called “Like No Other,” with Martha’s Vineyard Atlas of Life program director Matt Pelikan, on Wednesday afternoon, Oct. 9, at 5 pm, during which he will untangle the processes that make our little sandbar different from anyplace else on earth. This Saturday, Sept. 14, at 4 pm, will be your final opportunity to get a behind-the-scenes experience of “Sailing to Freedom: Maritime Dimensions of the Underground Railroad” with its author, Dr. Tim Walker, before it comes down on Sept. 22. It is highly encouraged you get tickets ahead of time; it sold out last time.
We’re a community of people with stories, a strong bent to speak up about what we believe in, and we work together when it counts. It is a community that struggles, but ultimately finds a way. Your museum is more than a building on a hill, it’s part of this community that reaches out with a mission to hold tight the hands of everyone, and to listen and respond accordingly. We endeavor to provide exhibitions and programming that inspire, fascinate, and help us all evolve our perspectives. An example of this will be on Sept. 13 at 4 pm. Back by popular demand, a program that explores the transformative power of community and art in Zambia with Marsha Winsryg, who has led the African Artists Community Development Project since 2005. Marsha will recount her recent visits to Zambia, where she works with Zambezi women — survivors of poverty and social exclusion who have risen to become community leaders. Through photos and personal anecdotes, learn how these women (alongside their children, who have serious disabilities), have built a thriving community farm, and use art to transform their lives and cultivate hope. This is a moving story of resilience and hope against the backdrop of hardship and a devastating drought. We say it all the time — it’s a small Island, and word gets around. So if we tell a story or know a big fish tale, let’s at least make it one we can have a good laugh over, if not be completely changed, and moved to do something epic.
Visit mvmuseum.org for more information about upcoming exhibitions and events. The museum is open Tuesday through Sunday year-round. Summer-season hours: Tuesday, 10 am – 7 pm, Wednesday through Sunday, 10 am – 5 pm. Admission is free to members; admission for nonmembers is $18 for adults, $15 for seniors, $5 for children 7 to 17, and free for children 6 and under. Islander rates are available.
