Is It August Already?

by Vera Thornton

Am I the only one that feels like the summer is flying by? I still need a lot more beach time and barbeques, so I’d better get moving.

August on the Vineyard really kicks into high gear, with three traditional summer events that signify the end of summer approaching. These of course are the Fireworks, the Ag Fair, and Illumination Night – the big three, and part of what always makes the third week in August the busiest of the summer on Martha’s Vineyard.

What: Illumination Night
When: August 2o at 7:00 p.m.
Where: The Campground, Oak Bluffs

Illumination Night is always on a Wednesday. Started in 1869, this event draws throngs of visitors and locals to the Campground in Oak Bluffs, where the evening begins with a community sing-along. All those quaint gingerbread houses that circle the Tabernacle are strung with paper lanterns, which are simultaneously lit at nightfall – it looks like fairyland! Homeowners sit on their porches greeting those who stroll by, gracious and eager to chat. The soft glow of twinkling lights and the warm camaraderie of the Cottagers create a magical atmosphere, and the whole scene is like a Norman Rockwell painting come to life.


What: Martha’s Vineyard Agricultural Fair
When: August 21 – 24: Thursday – Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m.
Sunday from 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.
Where: The New Agricultural Hall, Panhandle Road, West Tisbury

The Agricultural Fair is an old-fashioned country fair where blue ribbons are awarded for livestock, pies, giant vegetables, art work, crafts, and just about anything you can think of. My favorite event is the Skillet Toss, a women-only event, although the pig races are a close second. Believe me, you want to stay on the good side of a woman who can throw a cast-iron skillet 55 feet! Carnival rides, games, fiddlers’ contests, amusements, and of course, lots of food – all make for a memorable summer event every year. This will be the 147th annual Fair, a not-to-be-missed event.


What: The Oak Bluffs Fireworks
When: August 22 at 9:00 p.m.
Where: Ocean Park, Oak Bluffs

This is a display worthy of July Fourth, and there’s always a debate on the island about which fireworks show was the better one: Edgartown on the Fourth of July or Oak Bluffs in August. It must be said that weather plays a huge part in the presentation. This year’s Fourth was pretty cloudy and obscured a lot of the show, so we may have a clear winner this year! This is the main fund-raiser for the Oak Bluffs Civic Association, although there is no charge for watching. Funds are raised through the sale of T-shirts, collection buckets, and parking fees.

For charming (and affordable) accomodations in the town of Oak Bluffs, try the Madison Inn or the Narragansett House, both excellent. Or go up-island and check out the countryside - the Inn at Blueberry Hill is a luxury destination in the more pastoral part of the island.


Photo credits:
Photo #1 & #2 - Courtesy of the Vineyard Gazette
Photo #3 - Courtesy of Tim Johnson

A Special Proposal on the Vineyard

by Vera Thornton

This is for the man who’s about to propose and wants a unique and very special way of doing it. This will give you a lifetime of memories and just about guarantee that you don’t get turned down. The magnificent Harbor View Hotel in Edgartown is offering a package this summer that includes dinner prepared and served for you by their executive chef, Joshua Hollinger, in the historic Edgartown Lighthouse, adjacent to the hotel. This is a one-of-a-kind deal, which includes accommodation in one of the new luxury suites, and breakfast the next morning. It’s only available as a one-night stay on Monday or Wednesday - Chef Josh can’t be away from the busy hotel dining room for even a moment on a weekend! You will be served cocktails and appetizers outside on the top of the Lighthouse, looking down on the beautiful Edgartown harbor, dotted with graceful sailing vessels and yachts of the rich and not-necessarily famous. Dinner will follow inside on the ground floor of the Lighthouse, as Josh cooks right there for you and your sweetie. After dinner, maybe a leisurely walk on the beach in the moonlight, then back to your oh-so-posh suite at the hotel. Ask any woman if that isn’t the ultimate romantic night – only a knight on a white stallion could top this. The package price without tax and gratuity - including dinner, luxury suite accomodation, and breakfast - is $2500.

For more information or to book the Lighthouse Dinner Package, please call 508-627-7000.



Photo credit:
All photos courtesy of the Harbor View Hotel.

The Green Hotel Initiative on Martha's Vineyard

by Vera Thornton

By now I’m sure we’ve all heard about green travel, but what exactly is it? Here's the insider lowdown: vacationing in natural settings while conserving the environment and improving the welfare of the local people. The mantra is - take nothing but pictures, leave nothing but footprints. Now the hotel industry is getting on board in a big way, promoting environmentally friendly policies. Green hotels are properties with owners and managers saving water, saving energy, reducing solid waste, and sustaining our planet. When you see a sign on the towel rack that asks you to please consider re-using your linens, that hotel is encouraging you to participate in the conservation of our groundwater by reducing the amount of laundry that’s being done daily. The same goes for the sheet change cards being used in green hotels – if you don’t require your bedding changed daily, let them know. Other policies include recycling programs; the use of locally grown foods; bathroom amenities in bulk dispensers instead of individual plastic containers; the elimination of chemicals in laundry products, cleaning supplies, and paints; the use of 100% cotton towels and linens; the composting of biodegradable food waste; the elimination of plastic cups and dishes; and the use of energy-saving fluorescent bulbs. Just think what a difference it would make around the world if hotels practiced even some of these policies all the time.

Several of the fine hotels and B&B's on the Vineyard are joining the movement to encourage and promote ecological consciousness. Here are a few, and the list will continue to grow, I’m sure.


The Doctor’s House
60 Mount Aldworth Road, Vineyard Haven

This charming small inn is within walking distance of the ferry and the local bus line, so you can save energy (and money) by leaving your car behind. The owner grows her own herbs and vegetables on part of the three gorgeous acres where you have the feel of being in the country. She uses these in the daily gourmet breakfast, and what she doesn't grow, she buys locally. All paper products used are made from recycled products, no plastic ware is used, all appliances are energy saving models, and signs are in all guestrooms encouraging linen re-use.
(508)-696-0859

Hob Knob
128 Main Street, Edgartown

This eco-luxury boutique hotel uses locally grown organic foods for its delicious full breakfast, composts kitchen waste, promotes the linen re-use program, and recently switched from plastic to glass bottled water. Non-toxic cleaning products are used, and non-toxic paint was used in a recent freshening up of the inn. This summer Hob Knob will partner with the FARM Institute in Katama and offer guests a Farm and Breakfast Tour, where they will pedal from the Hob Knob to the farm, participate in chores, and cook breakfast using fresh farm ingredients.
(508)627-9510

The Island Inn
15 Beach Road, Oak Bluffs

This resort hotel adjacent to Farm Neck Golf Course, in an effort to raise its eco-consciousness, has recently become a member of the Green Hotel Association. Plans are in the works this summer to gradually introduce eco-changes suggested by the association, and have already begun with the elimination of small plastic bottles and bar soaps in favor of bulk dispensers. Dramatic results were immediately noted in the decrease of waste and trash – a partially used bar of soap or little bottle gets tossed, after all. All outdoor lighting has been changed to low impact fluorescent, and a recycle program has been established, with more changes on the way.
(508)-693-2002


Photo Credits:
Photo #1: The Green Tortoise
Photo #2: The Hob Knob
Photo #3: The Doctor's House
Photo #4: The Island Inn