Be a Proud Ally
Promise me this: you won’t celebrate Pride by just trying to make rainbow-shaped and colored foods. May it be a month that you decide to support LGBTQI+ owned businesses in a way that makes the most sense: putting your money where your values and beliefs are. In Edgartown, head over for a meal and stock up on provisions at Black Sheep and then drive into town, try to find a parking spot, walk down Main Street, and check out the latest charms at CB Stark Jewelers. In Vineyard Haven, Lennox + Harvey is a great shop for home goods, elevated clothing pieces, and a curated selection of body items you’ll love. Hop on over to Oak Bluffs and both Island Outfitters and Tote-Ally Yours, The Original Bag Bar ™, are two joy-filled shops I suggest exploring.
Make Sustainable Seafood Choices
Celebrate World Oceans Day on Martha’s Vineyard in a few ways. Consider grilling sustainable seafood choices and prioritize dining out at local restaurants that feature similar choices. Both actions ensure we protect marine biodiversity while still honoring the waters that surround us. A fun way to do so? Book a Cottage City Oyster tour ($185) this season. Considered to be some of the best oysters in the world due to their regenerative farming techniques alongside the cold, clean flowing open ocean waters of the Vineyard Sound, I had this experience two years ago with my best friends visiting from Nashville and it was truly unlike anything else I’ve done on the Island. Having brothers Dan and Greg Martino guide you through their farming practices while teaching you how to shuck oysters and enjoying time in the open ocean – seriously top tier moment in my life.
Like the section above, you can also be an ally – to supporting a mission like the one the Martha’s Vineyard Fisherman’s Preservation Trust has: to safeguard Martha’s Vineyard’s fishing heritage and future by supporting the island’s small-boat, owner-operated fishing fleets and their sustainably harvested catch. Consider purchasing their cookbook, The Sea Table, winner of the 2025 Readable Feast’s “New England Book of the Year Award”. Created by the Martha’s Vineyard Fishermen’s Preservation Trust with Catherine Walthers, and featuring photography from Randi Baird, and Brook Bartletta, The Sea Table ($65) is more than just a cookbook. It’s a tribute to the waters that surround Martha’s Vineyard and one I’ve already gifted to a couple of friends.
Juneteenth: The Table Has Always Been The Celebration
Let me put the Taste of Juneteenth ($75) on your radar. Happening on Sunday, June 21st from 2-5pm at the PA Club, join Island chefs in honoring Black culture, cuisine, and liberation. Explore the culinary talent and indulge in soulfully-inspired dishes. It’s an event I’ve attended a couple of times and each time it gets more and more delicious.
Father Figures: Island Dads
When people ask me if I’m an islander, I always respond that yes, I am. There are other islands in the world, and I’m from the Dominican Republic. At an average of 195 times larger than Martha’s Vineyard, the island that raised me is not very similar to the Island I live on. While dads on MV are teaching their kids to fish the Vineyard Sound, my dad was introducing me to his fruit guy around the corner, the one that sold him the freshest sugar cane to make us juice. The harmony between it all is that your father figures, whether your biological dad or not, tend to want to share a knowledge that lives within them. When people ask me what my dad can cook, I say two things: fresh juice and flan. I’ll leave the flan recipe for a later date. Happy Father’s Day to all the dads!
Summer Sunshine
The official beginning of the summer, but also sharing the day with Father’s Day, Summer Solstice has forever been a day of celebration, being it is the day with the longest period of sunshine. On an island that thrives in the sunshine, one of my favorite things to suggest is to download the TrailsMV app on your phone, it’s your ultimate Martha’s Vineyard trail companion!
TrailsMV was created by the nonprofit Sheriff’s Meadow Foundation in collaboration with the island’s conservation groups and six towns.
The Perfect Menu: Lobster and Strawberry Shortcakes
Please don’t ask me who made up these food holidays – I do not know but I think life is too short to not have a little fun and if someone out there wanted to designate specific days to delicious foods, who am I to stop them? Since I’m always looking at a dessert menu even before my entrees arrive, it’s perfect that National Strawberry Shortcake is on June 14th. It’s said that the date was chosen to align with the peak of the summer strawberry harvest in the United States, when the berries are at their juiciest and most flavorful. Make sense, since Morning Glory Farm’s Strawberry Festival is just a few days later, on June 20th. Hop over to June 15th and celebrate National Lobster Day. Why on this date? Because it marks the traditional start of the summer lobster harvesting season, which goes from late June to November in New England. Want to have the most ideal foodie day? Grab a lobster from any of our local fish markets like Edgartown Seafood, The Net Result, Larsen’s Fish Market, Edgartown Meat & Fish, or Menemsha Fish Market. Then, secure a bar seat at The Pawnee House and order one of their curated cocktails alongside their Southern Strawberry Shortcake. It’s bound to be your favorite day – and most delicious one – yet!
Whether you celebrate Pride Month, World Oceans Day (6/8), National Strawberry Shortcake Day (6/14), National Lobster Day (6/15), Juneteenth (6/19), Father’s Day (6/21), or Summer Solstice (6/21), remember that the food we cook, eat, and share with friends during these celebrations is what brings us together.
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