Vineyard Artisans Festival
November 29 + 30
The holidays are quickly approaching, which means it’s never too early to stock up on gifts. Looking for something local? Head to the Ag Hall in West Tisbury, where twenty-plus artisans will showcase their inimitable wares.
Deer Hunting Season
Through December 31
’Tis also the season for outdoor walks, and for worrying about stray bullets. If you do head out on a trail, don’t forget to don your finest blazing-orange clothes. Better yet, consider a walk on the beach or in town, where you’ll get less bang for your buck.
MV Winter Classic 20 Miler
February 15, 2025
Cabin fever got you down? Ready to shake the cobwebs off? Come February, runners take to the Island’s mostly flat terrain to see who can run the fastest twenty-miler. Not quite ready for that many miles? Grab a relay partner and cut the distance in half.
What to Do
It’s been sixty-five years since Island bird lovers got together for the first Christmas Bird Count. That outing was, in fact, an outgrowth of the first nationwide count in 1900, which replaced an old tradition where teams of hunters would compete to see who could kill the most wild birds on Christmas Day. Thankfully, these days Christmas birds are counted, not killed.
Last year, fifty-eight Island observers (plus eighteen more reporting from their bird feeders) counted 30,681 birds comprising a whopping 128 species. The information is used to compile population and conservation statistics. While the date of this year’s count hasn’t yet been confirmed, it’s on track to take place around the holidays. So dust off your binoculars, sharpen your quills, and keep an eye on the calendar; days tend to fly by this time of year.
What to See
Where would we be without the great sandplains, the state forest, and miles of coastline to explore – not to mention the ponds, piping plovers, and hiking trails on the Island? The ongoing Martha’s Vineyard Museum exhibit “Human/Nature: Art and Conservation on Martha’s Vineyard” reminds us of those beautiful open spaces and the diverse landscape and wildlife that we’re lucky enough to enjoy.
Each artist’s piece tells the story of our enduring relationship with the natural environment – a living, breathing habitat that’s been shaped and hopefully protected by us all. The exhibit runs through January 12, 2025 and features work by Allen Whiting, Ruth Kirchmeier, Kib Bramhall, and Marjorie Wolfe, among others.
What to Read
Anything’s Pastable: 81 Inventive Pasta Recipes for Saucy People by Dan Pashman (William Morrow Cookbooks, 2024)
Cookbook author Dan Pashman is a James Beard award–winning podcaster who invented a new pasta shape (cascatelli) that holds a whole lot of sauce, which makes the recipes in this new, saucy cookbook even more inspiring. With Anything’s Pastable, the frequent Island visitor has taken what goes into a pasta sauce to new heights. Think: Kimchi Carbonara, Cacio e Pepe e Chili Crisp, or our favorite – Shakshuka and Shells. The cookbook also offers a spin on lesser-known Italian dishes, such as Cavatelli with Roasted Artichokes and Preserved Lemon and Creste di Gallo with Fava Beans. If those don’t tempt your taste buds, there’s always the Roman Cafeteria Hot Dog Pasta Salad with Canned Veggies.
Brooklyn Bridge Park: Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates by Michael Van Valkenburgh (Monacelli Press, 2024)
Seasonal resident Michael Van Valkenburgh is one of the biggest names in the field of landscape architecture; his name is associated with large-scale projects throughout the U.S. Yet perhaps none of his projects is bigger or more inspiring than the 1.3-mile Brooklyn Bridge Park, a stunning piece of urban and natural revitalization more than twenty years in the making. With the help of his associates, Van Valkenburgh transformed an abandoned strip of waterfront into a natural, community-engaging environment that is now visited by five million people each year. While the book offers plenty of history, sketches, and photographs, it will ultimately inspire you to put down the book and visit the park instead.
Numerology
94,650 – Number of the Island’s summer population, almost five times that of the year-round population.
3,219 – Number of seasonal day-trippers who rode over on the Steamship Authority ferries this summer.
45 – Number of people with mailing addresses in eleven foreign countries who also own property on Martha’s Vineyard.
“Some people love marijuana, cocaine, I love ox. Everyone spends their money in different ways.”
– Cicilio Rosa Neto on his bond with his locally famous ox, Chilmark (and his less-famous painted ox, Titanic). The pair are a familiar sight on Island roads, which they often traverse by oxcart.
Where to Explore
The off-season is the perfect time to reconnect with nature after all the breathtaking sunsets, cocktail parties, and sunscreen applications are over. This fall, get out of dodge with Sheriff’s Meadow Foundation staff as they lead participants on two always-popular guided walks.
On November 17, enjoy the sound of the surf from Quansoo Farm in Chilmark – the 146-acre property features meadows, fields, forests, and hayfields too. If you miss that one, head to Chappaquiddick on December 15 for a two-and-a-half-mile hike exploring the new Champ Family Preserve and the fields and forests of North Neck.
Both walks begin at 10 a.m. Prior registration is required via their website, sheriffsmeadow.org.
What You Missed
Another One Bites the Dust
Leslie’s Drug Store, a beloved pharmacy that has occupied a prominent place on Main Street in Vineyard Haven since 1948, has closed its doors. Owners Warren and Donna Holmberg made the announcement on Facebook, acknowledging they could no longer keep up with the financial instability of the U.S. healthcare system. “We tried our best to continue on, but the time has come for us to say goodbye,” they wrote. Not only does the news leave a void in many longtime customers’ hearts; it also leaves a giant void in the heart of the town.
You Get an ADU, and You Get an ADU, and You Get an ADU.... or Not
Recently passed state legislation could drastically increase the number of accessory dwelling units (ADUs) allowed across the Island and the state. What Islanders won’t get (for now, at least) is a transfer fee on local real estate transactions that would be used to fund affordable housing. Despite all six Island towns overwhelmingly voting for the measure, it continues to languish at the State House.
There Goes the Neighborhood
Aquinnah residents are being told to guard their shrubs and shield their eyes after a vandalism spree overtook the town.
According to police, the words “Eat the Rich” were found painted at the intersection of Moshup Trail and State Road in September. The word “War” was also written on a stop sign at the same intersection. Elsewhere in town, a resident reported that his flag had been stolen and his hydrangea had been cut down.
House of the Rising Wind
The Martha’s Vineyard Commission (MVC) has declined to take up the case of two houses that are slated to be turned into employee housing for Vineyard Wind. Townspeople and the Tisbury Planning Board say the permits should never have been issued. The MVC said maybe yes, maybe no, but that’s not their problem to solve.
