October on the Vineyard is here, and you can almost feel a collective and calming exhale through the Island community. For much of the world, this is sort of when real life picks back up again, but for many of us locals, this is when we get a chance to catch our breaths. And in the event world, the end of our busy season is near, but not quite here.
Last weekend I coordinated a wedding, and the ceremony was held at St. Elizabeth’s Church in Edgartown. At the exact same moment, Sandy Brooks of Timeless Event Planning was coordinating another wedding across the street at the Whaling Church. We waved to each other and laughed at how perfectly this captured the essence of September on Martha’s Vineyard, with a wedding at every corner it seems, before returning to our respective guest herding.
I’ll take this opportunity to share a little background about myself. I grew up on Martha’s Vineyard and I am the daughter of a chef, so I have been working in hospitality since before I was legally old enough to. Not because my dad forced me into child labor, but because I have always loved the magic of gathering: watching what was once just an idea turn into hundreds of people under a high-peaked tent sparkling with twinkly white lights. Smelling how the menu of the night pairs with our salty sea air. Seeing how all the different vendor teams fit together harmoniously no matter what puzzle the event requires them to put together. Being a part of this industry is always an exhilarating rush, and often feels like a production. So after years of working in just about every corner of it that I could, I found myself naturally progressing into professional event coordination. What started as helping a friend for her wedding turned into taking on some gigs when I could, and eventually that turned into founding an event production company and booking solid. I still get to work with my dad when he caters, and I still hold the same love and astonishment for the process, with an even deeper appreciation for everything that goes into it.
While there is no shortage of those huge, high-end and intricate events on Martha’s Vineyard, I love working with the Times to build this brand that celebrates all kinds of happenings here. Some of the best Vineyard events consist of a few friends coming together at the beach with folding chairs and coolers full of local treats from the sea. September marked the start of the Derby, and this year a nearly record-breaking false albacore was caught on the first day. We can look forward to the Derby Awards Ceremony this month on Sunday the 19th at Farm Neck.
Another great part of the event scene here are the celebrations of art and culture. September held the Martha’s Vineyard International Film Festival hosted by MV Film Society, which will go on to host the Women in Film Festival on October 17th through the 19th.
Local artist and potter Victoria Wolf hosted “Show me the Way to go Home” this past month, a show that was then exhibited through September at The Workshop Studio. Her work highlighted local housing insecurity, and the chilling ratio of vacant homes to community members who are without stable housing. In collaboration with Wolf’s efforts to highlight this local crisis, The MV Times is releasing a series of articles that profile Islanders who have experienced housing insecurity.
The beginning of October will bring the last First Friday in Vineyard Haven until December, and the annual Vineyard Artisans Fall Festival. An Indigenous People’s Day celebration will be held at Felix Neck on the 12th, held by Sassafras Earth Education and featuring speakers and drumming.
Right around the time the Morning Glory Farm Pumpkin Festival arrives (this year on the 18th), I will buy a few autumn gourds and come to terms with the fact that summer really is over.
Of course we love the Ag Fair in August, but my true favorites are the fall events that the Agricultural Society puts on. On the 25th they will hold their annual Harvest Festival, with pumpkin carving, animals, hay maze, crafts for kids, demos for adults, local food, pie baking and eating contests, and local music. In November they hold one of the best off-season parties and gatherings of our local community: The Barn Raisers Ball. But more on that in our next newsletter!
So as the leaves begin to change, the ocean starts to cool down, and our Island returns to the slow off-season pace, it’s a good time to remember to support local businesses. Attend the off season happenings, utilize locally made goods, and give grace to us hospitality and event folk who are in our final push of the season. Right now we long for those slow days, empty beaches, and warm fall flavors, but I am sure it won’t be long before we miss our bright and busy summers.
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