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Upcoming Illumination Night is Wed, Aug 15, 2012. It has always been my favorite event of the summer
Going to Illumination Night is a thrill for me no matter my age.
I think I was 2 and 1/2 the first time I went, I’m embarrassed to say that even with my annoyingly good memory, I don’t remember it. My first memory of Illumination Night involves wearing a particularly pretty dress so I’m thinking I was around three or four, which would have been around 1946.
My dad, mom, god-mother and I would have an early supper and then walk to the Campground. My dad and I would stroll around looking at all the beautifully decorated gingerbread houses while my mother and god-mother would chat with friends and relatives.
At 8 o’clock the Vineyard Haven Band would begin playing and the always fun community sing would start. Patriotic songs like, America The Beautiful, Yankee Doodle, Battle Hymn of the Republic are always stirring and emotional. It took me a couple of years to learn the words to all the songs and I still get messed up on a couple of the rounds like John Brown’s Baby. The band playing the Star Spangled Banner and the rousing Stars and Stripes Forever are always crowd pleasers.
But as much fun as that was it was only a precursor to the main event. The Tabernacle and Campground go dark… the crowd cheers. The lighting of the first lantern and then all the gingerbread houses are simoutaneously aglow with Japanese lanterns. Everyone oohs and ahhs and stream out of the Tabernacle to walk through the magical fairyland the Campground has become. My dad would carry me on his shoulders so I could see everything… I felt like I could touch the stars.
After seeing all there was to see we’d head out onto Circuit Ave to either the Frosty Cottage for ice cream or Darling’s for popcorn. Always a tasty ending to a perfectly enchanting night.
Like I said, no matter your age, Illumination Night is fun for everyone. Just look at these faces from 1998…
Links.
Martha’s Vineyard Campmeeting Association
Full sized snippet pictures ~ part 5.
Gay Head Lighthouse fresnel lenses on exhibit at the MV Museum.
The ceremonial first lit lantern of Illumination Night
Island Home
Illumination Night again because it’s my favorite event 
(Illumination Night this year is Wed, Aug 15)
(Click on links above each picture for more information).
Some of the places and things I love about the Vineyard.
Ocean Park Bandstand.. Illumination Night.. post card.. Edgartown waterfront.
Gay Head cliffs.. writing in the sand.. Edgartown lighthouse.
Menemsha sunset.. the beloved ferry Islander (retired in 2007)
The Tabernacle.. Oak Bluffs beach.. Gay Head lighthouse.. Old Whaling Church.
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Illumination Night
Upcoming Illumination Night is Wed, Aug 18, 2010. It has always been my favorite event of the summer
Going to Illumination Night is a thrill for me no matter my age.
I think I was 2 and 1/2 the first time I went, I’m embarrassed to say that even with my annoyingly good memory, I don’t remember it. My first memory of Illumination Night involves wearing a particularly pretty dress so I’m thinking I was around three or four.
My dad, mom, god-mother and I would have an early supper and then walk to the Campground. My dad and I would stroll around looking at all the beautifully decorated gingerbread houses while my mother and god-mother would chat with friends and relatives.
At 8 o’clock the Vineyard Haven Band would begin playing and the always fun community sing would start. Patriotic songs like, America The Beautiful, Yankee Doodle, Battle Hymn of the Republic are always stirring and emotional. It took me a couple of years to learn the words to all the songs and I still get messed up on a couple of the rounds like John Brown’s Baby. The band playing the Star Spangled Banner and the rousing Stars and Stripes Forever are always crowd pleasers.
But as much fun as that was it was only a precursor to the main event. The Tabernacle and Campground go dark… the crowd cheers. The lighting of the first lantern and then all the gingerbread houses are simoutaneously aglow with Japanese lanterns. Everyone oohs and ahhs and stream out of the Tabernacle to walk through the magical fairyland the Campground has become. My dad would carry me on his shoulders so I could see everything… I felt like I could touch the stars.
After seeing all there was to see we’d head out onto Circuit Ave to either the Frosty Cottage for ice cream or Darling’s for popcorn. Always a tasty ending to a perfectly enchanting night.
Like I said, no matter your age, Illumination Night is fun for everyone. Just look at these faces from 1998…
Links.
Martha’s Vineyard Campmeeting Association
Welcome to August the busiest, most chockful month of the year.
Click here – MVOL Calendar of Events
Click here - MV Chamber of Commerce calendar of events
Click the above links to see all that’s going on in the busiest month of the summer.
Below are just a few of the things you might not want to miss.
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*Aug 2 and 3 -All Island Art Show & Jr Art Show – a 2 day event at the Tabernacle in Oak Bluffs.
Mon, Aug 2 from 9-4 and Tues, Aug 3 from 10-noon
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*Aug 2 - Monday Possible Dreams Auction – Ocean Park in Oak Bluffs
Doors open at 3:30 and bidding starts at 4:30
Click here for a list of ‘dreams’ to bid on.
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*Aug 14 - Saturday - Oak Bluffs Art District Gallery Stroll 4 – 7pm
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**Aug 18 -Wednesday - Illumination Night (Pictured above)
Martha’s Vineyard Camp Meeting Assn in the Campground – Oak Bluffs ~ Community sing begins at 7pm ~ Lighting of the lanterns is at dark. (This is my favorite event of the year).
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** Aug 19 – 22 -149th Annual Ag Fair -W Tisbury -10am
A real old fashioned agricultural fair. Livestock & dog shows, fiber arts-tent, midway, rides, games, food, horsepull, and so much more. The Ag Fair is a MUST.
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Aug 20- Friday - Oak Bluffs Fireworks - 8pm
This big bang conclusion to the summer is at Ocean Park. The Vineyard Haven Band begins playing at the Gazebo at 8… firework spectacular is at dark.
Click here – MVOL Calendar of Events
Click the above link to see all that’s going on in the busiest month of the summer.
Below are just a few of the things you might not want to miss.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
*Aug 3 -All Island Art Show & Jr Art Show – a 2 day event at the Tabernacle in Oak Bluffs.
Mon, Aug 3 from 9-4 and Tues, Aug 4 from 10-noon
*Aug 3 - Monday Possible Dreams Auction – Ocean Park in Oak Bluffs
Doors open at 3:30 and bidding starts at 4:30
Click here for a list of ‘dreams’ to bid on.
*Aug 8 -Saturday- Chilmark Road Race
*Aug 8 - Saturday - Oak Bluffs Art District Gallery Stroll 4 – 7pm
**Aug 19 -Wednesday - Illumination Night (Pictured above)
Martha’s Vineyard Camp Meeting Assn in the Campground – Oak Bluffs ~ Community sing begins at 7pm ~ Lighting of the lanterns is at dark. (This is my favorite event of the year).
** Aug 20-23 -148th Annual Ag Fair -W Tisbury -10am
A real old fashioned agricultural fair. Livestock & dog shows, fiber arts-tent, midway, rides, games, food, horsepull, and so much more. The Ag Fair is a MUST.
Aug 21- Friday - Oak Bluffs Fireworks - 8pm
This big bang conclusion to the summer is at Ocean Park. The Vineyard Haven Band begins playing at the Gazebo at 8… firework spectacular is at dark.
Illumination Night is held every year in the middle of August… this year it’s Wed Aug 18, 2010. If you are on MV you should not miss it, it’s an evening you won’t soon forget.
(2010 date for Illumination Night is Wed, Aug 18)
It all begins here at the Tabernacle in the Campground in Oak Bluffs.
The gingerbread cottages are decked out in Japanese lanterns, many have been passed down from generation to generation, many are even still lit with candles.
The evening begins with music by the Vineyard Haven Band accompanying a lively community sing. After the community sing is over all the lights in the Campground are turned off… a special person who has been already chosen lights the first lantern 
which is then walked up the aisle to the entrance to the Tabernacle and suddenly all the lanterns in the Campground come to life. The Campground is transformed into a magical fairyland delighting…
… kids of all ages. It has always been my favorite event of the summer and it never fails to transform me into a kid again.
