Island Time, May 2-5: Opening Day

May 2, 2019

Two words we can’t get enough of this week: Opening Day. Little League season opened on Saturday. The new restaurant at the Clarion Inn in Edgartown, Town Bar and Grill MV, opened on Monday. Yesterday was opening day at Dilly’s Taqueria in Oak Bluffs, and 20byNine restaurant opens for the season at 4 p.m. today. Tomorrow in Edgartown, Morning Glory Farm opens in the morning, Bad Martha’s Brewery opens at noon.

Don’t worry, there’s plenty to do beyond eating and drinking this weekend. Catch a fish, go for a hike, ride a bike (for a good cause), make art, watch a sheep-shearing, watch a film. Or just stand still and imagine you can see the cherry blossoms bloom, the first asparagus tips poke from the ground, the fiddlehead ferns unfurl. In the blink of an eye, spring slips by on the Vineyard.

Friday, May 3 | TGIF

Take your pick tonight. Bid on Patriots and Red Sox tickets at the annual PA Club Scholarship Auction at 6 p.m. It’s PechaKucha night at the Museum (7 p.m to 8:30 p.m.). The new documentary about Dr. Ruth shows at the Film Center at 7:30 p.m. And Lynne Adams performs at the MV Playhouse in Two-Faced, a Solo Show. Philly D + The Round-Up take the stage at the Ritz at 7:45 p.m. and Gold Pin Bowling begins at 9 p.m. at Barn, Bowl & Bistro.

Saturday, May 4 | On Your Mark

Looking on the bright side, if your kids are excited about participating in the Annual Kids Trout Derby on Saturday morning, waking up at 5 a.m. will give you a nice jump on the day. Another great excuse to get going early? The Bike MS: Ride the Vineyard fundraiser event, which begins at the high school at 7:30 a.m. Sign up to bike 18, 30, or 60 miles.

Sheepapalooza is happening at the Farm Institute from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. A celebration of all things sheep-y and woolly (including shearing, felting and weaving), Sheepapalooza will of course have baby lambs, too. Local food (featuring Farm Institute meat and produce) will be available for purchase.

From 3:30 to 5 p.m., stop by the West Tisbury Library for the opening reception for fine artist Caitlin Bingham, who most recently painted a flower a day during the month of March and featured each work on Instagram. The flower paintings are inspired by her work as a floral designer at Morrice Florist and as a flower grower at the Grey Barn and Farm.

And in the “only on the Vineyard” department, tonight’s the Bird-A-Thon Concert at the Ritz Cafe! The benefit for Felix Neck Wildlife Sanctuary starts at 6 p.m. and features face painting, a raffle, and live music starting at 7 p.m. Musicians include Sabrina, Jellybone Rivers + the Maniacs of the Heart, the Black Eyed Susans, The Millennial Falcons, and Auntie Em + The Bedspins.

Sunday, May 5 | Eyes Wide Open

The Land Bank is leading a guided walk through Blackwater Pond Reservation this afternoon at 1 p.m. And The Trustees will take you on a Cinco de Mayo Beach Safari to explore Cape Pogue at noon today (reservations required).

If you love photography, you’ll want to stop by the Alison Shaw Gallery today between 4 p.m. and 6 p.m. for the opening reception of the Advanced Mentorship Student Show, with fine art photography by Brooke Bartletta, Lucy Dahl, Andrea Dawson, Beth Horstman and Rob Skinnon.

This evening there is a special screening of the new film, The Public, at the MV Film Center at 7:30 p.m. Sponsored by the MV Film Society and Island libraries, the film is directed by Emilio Estevez with an ensemble cast that includes Alex Baldwin and Christian Slater. The Public is a “David vs. Goliath” story about an act of civil disobedience that turns into a standoff with police when homeless people in Cincinnati take over the public library to seek shelter from the bitter cold. Admission is free; bring a non-perishable donation for the Island Food Pantry.