The start time for the annual Dock Dance at Memorial Wharf sparked debate once again this week among the Edgartown select board members. 

The board voted at its meeting Monday to allow the Dock Dance Band to hold the weekly downtown summer concerts from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. on Tuesdays, though the band was seeking a later start time on Fridays.

Dock Dance has been a tradition for over half a century, and the band has been performing without charge for the past 15 years. The dance, a big attraction for Island youth, had a 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. slot on Tuesdays last year, but it was pushed an hour earlier after Chappaquiddick Ferry Capt. Peter Wells complained about underage drinking.

Select board member Art Smadbeck proposed the 6:30 p.m. start time as a compromise between the two.

Dock Dance Band member Alex Karalekas said the earlier time is unfeasible since members are commuting from work and have young children. He proposed having the dance from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Friday nights.

“Times have changed and we want to keep this going, but we need to start it a bit later in order to do so,” Mr. Karalekas said. 

That request was met with resistance from Edgartown police.

Police Chief Chris Dolby said he couldn’t advocate for the later start. Since 2016, the Dock Dance has had 46 documented incidents, according to Chief Dolby, including arrests, fights and substance use. He said one complaint involved kids trespassing at the Edgartown Inn to smoke marijuana and urinate on the lawn. 

“These incidents spread from Upper Main street, where a kid had passed out on the side of the road trying to get out of town from the Dock Dance, all the way down to the Lighthouse Beach, where we’ve had parties,” Chief Dolby said. 

He added that the town’s noise bylaw is enacted at 10 p.m. and it would be difficult to have the dance go that late. It would be easier for police to hold the dance at an earlier time when it’s bright outside, Chief Dolby said. 

There were still incidents with the 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. time change last year, according to the chief. 

“Nothing’s going to alleviate those issues,” he said. “It was 6 p.m. and we still had kids sneaking backpacks of booze onto the top of the Memorial Wharf.”

Select board member Alex Morrison said the board appreciates the service that the Dock Dance Band provides the town each summer, but the band would have to find a way to work with police. He mentioned that for other events in town, organizers provide their own staff for security and management and he offered to find somewhere in the town hall to store the band’s equipment. 

“We’ve already had a couple people fall off Memorial Wharf this year, early season,” Mr. Morrison said. “I’d hate to see a kid drinking underage fall off.”

Mr. Karalekas said the band does not advocate for underage drinking and tells attendees to behave during their performance. After the 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. time slot was proposed, Mr. Karalekas said he would have to convene with other band members to sort out the scheduling. 

The board decided to move forward with approving the time slot, voting 3-0.