Island Time: September Rewards

A bicycle leans against a shingled wall. Photo by Timothy johnson

September 5, 2019

We’ve made it through another Martha’s Vineyard summer, and September is rewarding us with less traffic, more elbow room and the only-after-Labor-Day events we look forward to every year. Here are some of our suggestions for the weekend to come—find everything that’s happening on Island in the Complete Martha’s Vineyard Calendar.

Friday, Sept. 6 | Outdoor strolls & lobster rolls

Take an autumnal stroll through Chappaquiddick’s jewel of an Asian garden, Mytoi, from 11 a.m. to noon with the property’s gardener, certified arborist Marc Fournier, who will share the garden’s history.

Vineyard Haven celebrates its final First Friday VH of the season from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m., with live music, street vendors and special events at retailers along Main Street. Stop first at Grace Church for a lobster roll—next Friday is the last day of the year for this award-winning treat.

Island artist Richard Limber opens his latest show of portraits with a reception at the Edgartown Public Library, from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.

The Martha’s Vineyard International Film Festival continues through the weekend in Vineyard Haven with movies from some 20 countries. At 4 p.m., you can see the Danish documentary Cold Case Hammerskjold at the M.V. Film Center or, at the Capawock, Iranian feature 3 Faces. At 6:30 p.m., the Capawock has German feature In the Aisles and at 7, the Film Center shows Azerbaijani/German tragicomedy The Bra.

Edgartown Cinemas is showing Blinded by the Light and IT Chapter Two, both at 8 p.m. Other night life includes Black Eyed Susans at the Port Hunter and Sabrina and the Groovers at the Ritz, both starting at 10 p.m.

Saturday, Sept. 7 | Run a race, fly a kite

The Vineyard Triathlon returns for its fourth year with two distances available: a half-marathon and a sprint. It all starts at 8 a.m. in Waban Park, Oak Bluffs.

Polly Hill Arboretum in West Tisbury holds its fall plant sale from 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., with arboretum experts on hand to advise you on trees, shrubs, perennials and Island natives—all on sale at a 40 per cent discount for members, 10 per cent for non-members.

The Martha’s Vineyard Wind Festival includes kite making and model sailboat racing for children and kite flying and Frisbee games for all ages, from 10:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. in Ocean Park, Oak Bluffs. Rain date for the festival is Sept. 8.

With the theme of Sovereignty, this year’s Wampanoag Pow Wow takes place today and tomorrow from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. at Aquinnah Circle, rain or shine.

At the movies, Edgartown Cinemas has The Lion King at 1:15 p.m. and 4 p.m. and Good Boys at 6:45 p.m., the Capawock has the MVIFF International Short Films Juried Competition at 7 p.m. and the Strand is showing The Peanut Butter Falcon at 5 p.m. and Once Upon a Time in Hollywood at 8 p.m.

Sunday, Sept. 8 | Root for our team

Kids and their families are invited to a Back to School Pancake Breakfast from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. at the First Congregational Church of West Tisbury. From 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School soccer players are washing cars in the school’s parking lot to raise money for the team.

The next-to-last Oak Bluffs Open Market of the year takes place from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in Washington Park and the Vineyard Artisans Summer Festival continues from 10 to 2 for another few Sundays at Grange Hall in West Tisbury.

From 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. at Agricultural Hall in West Tisbury, it’s the monthly Fiber Folks get-together for knitters, spinners, weavers and needle crafters of all types.

At Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School, our football team takes on Seekonk High at 6 p.m.

Edgartown Cinemas screens Jaws at 3:45 p.m. At the film center in Vineyard Haven, starting at 4:30 p.m., the Martha’s Vineyard International Film Festival closes with the Korean feature Parasite, followed by a party at La Soffitta on Main Street.

The Barn Bowl & Bistro in Oak Bluffs has ballroom dancing instruction from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. and at the Ritz, it’s the Holy Rock & Roll Revival starting at 7 p.m.