Come to the Jubilee: Island Time, June 16

Come to the Jubilee: Island Time, June 16

June 16, 2022

While people all across the country will celebrate Juneteenth this weekend, the Vineyard will honor the holiday with a packed lineup of events that includes author talks, film screenings, social gatherings, kids’ programs, historic dedications and more. The first ever Juneteenth Jubilee on MV will take place in all three down-Island towns from the Martha’s Vineyard Museum in Vineyard Haven to the Tabernacle in Oak Bluffs to the Carnegie in Edgartown. Discover some highlights below, and find the complete schedule with ticket information online. As always we’ve got more ideas for the week ahead (and a full listing of live music below), and you can check The Complete Martha’s Vineyard Calendar at any time for updated events and activities.

Juneteenth Jubilee on MV

Check out some of the highlights below and find the complete schedule online.

· On Saturday, June 18 at the MV Museum, starting at 10 a.m., Uncovering New Tracks on the Underground Railroad will feature presentations by three eminent historians. In the afternoon, The Juneteenth Jubilee Creative Festival will include Nikole Hannah-Jones, Lynn Whitfield, Grace Gibson and other artists and musicians at the Tabernacle starting at 3 p.m. In the evening, The Martha’s Vineyard Film Festival will show Resilience and Recognition: Short Films Through a Black Lens at Union Chapel at 8 p.m.

· Kids can participate in a Kids Juneteenth Celebration at the Oak Bluffs Library on Saturday at 1 p.m. and the Edgartown Library will be showing the film Miss Juneteenth, also at 1 p.m.

· On Sunday, June 19, at 11 a.m., the African American Heritage Trail will unveil a new sculpture by Barney Zeitz on Memorial Wharf and recount the story of the slave Esther’s daring sea escape. Following at 11:30, a panel of five researchers will reveal how they uncover information in Finding Stories of Freedom at the Carnegie.

· On Sunday at 6 p.m. at the P.A. Club, Taste of Juneteenth will feature foods prepared by local BIPOC chefs that reflect black cultural experiences and food traditions. Ticket dollars will benefit the NAACP of Martha’s Vineyard.

Harborfest or Bust

Oak Bluffs is the place to be this weekend and it’s not just because the town is the epicenter of the Juneteenth festivities! The Oak Bluffs waterfront will be the site of Harborfest from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday, June 18. The festival features music, food, art and entertainment. It’s a great way to kick off the summer season!

Eat (Well) For a Cause

On Tuesday, June 21, you’ll want to get in line at the Portuguese American Club early — say, as close to the 4 p.m. start time as possible — when Maura and Austin of Mo’s Lunch and the staff of the P.A. Club host a Pig Roast to benefit Friends of Family Planning. Johnny Hoy and the Bluefish will take the mic at 7 p.m.

And of course, there’s the Island’s summertime Friday night tradition: Grace Church Lobster Rolls, which benefits Grace Episcopal Church in Vineyard Haven. Order ahead and pick up between 3 and 6:30 p.m.

Endless Summer

The Summer Solstice arrives on Tuesday, June 21. It’s the longest day of the year and the Island has plenty going on for you to pack into all those hours of daylight.

At Long Point Wildlife Refuge, the Trustees of Reservations is hosting a Summer Solstice Paddle and Campfire from 7:30 to 9 p.m. Kismet Outfitters will be offering two ways to get out on the water: Stand Up Paddleboard Tours at 9:30 a.m. and an Evening Paddleboard Tour at 5 p.m. If sun salutations are your thing, try Island Alpaca Yoga at 10 a.m. or the Yoga in Recovery at the Red House class at 10:30 a.m.