When in doubt: Just go to the fair!
Another year of animals, art, food, and fun at the M.V. Agricultural Fair is in the books. I made it out on Friday to get my annual Floaters root beer float, along with Twin Beaks fried chicken, finishing it all off with some sinful chocolate at Mad Martha’s. One of my favorites in the animal hall is looking for Danielle Mulcahy’s most handsome-est roosters in the barn, along with (of course) the piglet family. I also caught the Upis Land Band marching through the hall, adding even more color and joy to an already packed space full of artwork and ribbons.
And now this week we move from West Tisbury to Oak Bluffs being front and center with Wednesday’s Illumination Night and Friday’s annual fireworks up next! Pro tip: if you’re one of those that love being front and center for the fireworks, don’t be too cool for earplugs. Also, did you know that it’s Tisbury’s own Vineyard Haven Band that plays in the gazebo before the excitement begins after dark?
As we begin counting down to Labor Day Weekend, this is the time for you to go back over your summer bucket list and check off any of those still-waiting boxes. Have you listened to all the music you can? Did you enjoy one of M.V. Museum’s Global Rhythms Summer Concerts, our Vineyard Haven Band playing in Owen Park, or groove at a First Friday V.H.? Or maybe you trekked out of town to any of the performances at the Grange Hall, or Featherstone, or the Winnetu. Have you been waiting for the perfect movie at Circuit Arts’ Drive-In at the YMCA? Now is the time for all those last-minute beach visits and nature walks before school starts back up, and the traffic slowly begins to die down.
One highlight of writing these columns is discovering so many upcoming events and seeing just how hard our community works to make our summer season special for locals and visitors alike. Even though I may not make it out to all my favorite happenings, I can at least share some with you here in hopes you can attend!
In town this weekend, don’t miss the Miner Family Gallery’s next opening on Saturday, August 22, starting at 5 pm. Titled “Shuck Local,” you can see Craig D. Miner’s newest crustacean-themed series alongside Sarah Nelson’s newest oyster paintings.
If you still haven’t had a chance to visit our newly reopened Vineyard Haven library, there is an upcoming event on August 28 that mixes filmmaking, crab eating, and members of our M.V. shellfish community: “One Bad Crab” will screen at 4 pm, followed by a green crab appetizer and discussions.
Happy upcoming birthday to Tisbury Printer’s Kevin Cain on August 25. Do you have an upcoming birthday, event, or just something you want shared in a future Tisbury column? Email me at tisburycolumnist@gmail.com with your own stories of our town or upcoming events you’d like to see spotlighted here.
