Island Time, June 17: All Aboard

June 17, 2021

Hang on, we’re off and running! Dance and music performances, art shows and classes, nature walks and kayaking, farm visits and open air markets – they’re all happening on the Island now. This weekend, we’re celebrating Juneteenth on Saturday and Father’s Day on Sunday. (Need menu ideas?) We’re gathering with friends and family at last for picnics and bike rides, campfires and star gazing.

These are the days we’ve longed for; we hope you enjoy them with gusto. And remember you can find the most comprehensive listing of Island events and happenings on The Complete Martha’s Vineyard Calendar.

Historic Performance

Stefanie Batten Bland, of Company SBB, is back on the Island for a residency at The Yard. Her newest performance piece, titled Embarqued: Stories of Soil, will be performed at the Martha’s Vineyard Museum in Vineyard Haven on Thursday, June 17 and Friday, June 18, both at 8 p.m.

Paint & Petals

The Martha’s Vineyard Garden Club’s annual fundraiser – Blooming Art – is back! Thirty-four artists will be presenting their work paired with floral designs by club members. The show takes place at the Old Mill in West Tisbury on Friday, June 18 and Saturday, June 19 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday, June 20 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Be One with Nature

Join Sheriff’s Meadow for a Guided Walk of the Caroline Tuthill Preserve in Edgartown on Saturday, June 19 at 9 a.m. Discover late-spring ephemerals and other wildflowers while exploring the woods, salt marshes and shoreline of Sengekontacket Pond. Free, but registration is required by emailing Susan Hughes at [email protected].

Celebrate the Solstice

The Trustees is celebrating the northern hemisphere’s longest day of the year with a Summer Solstice Sunset Paddle & Campfire on Sunday, June 20 from 7:30 to 9 p.m. at Long Point Wildlife Refuge in West Tisbury. Paddle on Long Cove Pond before enjoying the comfort of a fire. Registration is required.

Fun on the Farm

Ever wonder what it’s like to be a farmer? Well the FARM Institute in Edgartown is ready to show you! Join them on Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday afternoons from 1 to 3 p.m. to be a Farmer for a Day. Families might collect eggs, plant or harvest in the garden and more. Pre-registration is required.

The Complete Martha’s Vineyard Calendar

What’s Open, What’s Closed on Martha’s Vineyard

Hello!

As case counts dwindle (woot!), vaccination numbers stay strong, and the summer calendar swells with listings and events, things are starting to feel…normal? Is this normal? Who can even tell anymore, but let’s roll with it, shall we?

This week, in honor of Juneteenth (recognized this year for the first time as an official holiday in Massachusetts ) the Island will also be celebrating the first annual Black Restaurant & Retail Week, sponsored by ExperienceMVY and the MV NAACP . There’s a social media contest (see @experiencemvy for details) and a call to support Black-owned shops and restaurants all week long.

For more Juneteenth history and celebration, watch this video as the National Museum of African American History and Culture’s Founding Director Lonnie Bunch III leads a tour through their Slavery and Freedom exhibition, highlighting stories behind some of their most popular objects, including Nat Turner’s bible, freedom papers of free African Americans, and a Sibley tent that housed African Americans who ran from Southern plantations in search of freedom with the Union army.

Also of note this weekend: An outdoor dance performance by NYC’s all-male dance company Pony Box Dance is coming to Lighthouse Beach in Edgartown, Thursday at 7:30 p.m., and Pathways Arts is hosting the first We Dance event at the Tisbury Water Works. Performances by Island Hip Hop, Kat Soni and others begin at 7:30 p.m. A two-channel silent dance party starts at 8 p.m.

And speaking of live music, we’ve got the lineup for this weekend below.

Happy summer, friends.

Alex

@oystermv