After Woodstock at the Yasgur’s Farm, before Livestock with JT and Carly at the Agricultural Hall, there was the No Nukes Concert with AT and KT and Carly at the Allen Farm.

Approximately 5,000 people showed up on Sept. 22 1978 for one of the largest single one-day gatherings ever to take place on the Vineyard. The purpose was to create awareness about the dangers of nuclear energy, while demonstrating the benefits of solar energy. The brochure read: “A solar powered, non-nuclear future would go a long way toward fighting unemployment and solving our planet’s energy problems.”

Combining hard work, grit, determination, cooperation and fun, the folks running the Vineyard No Nukes Festival transformed the lovely Allen Farm in Chilmark into a message-sending musical delight.

Peter Simon

Peter Simon

“The event was important to me,” Clarissa Allen recently recalled. “I was hoping it would be fun, but I had no idea it would be this big. I promised the selectmen I would do my best to have a well-behaved crowd.”

The selectboard of Betty Ann Bryant, Matthew A. Poole and Herbie Hancock put their faith in Clarissa and the show went on.

Mitchell Posin, Clarissa’s partner, was the man of action. He plowed to make the huge parking lot. He built the stage along with Pete Ives and the crew.

“We used only screws, not nails, since we had to take it apart right after the event,” Pete told me. “We also dug holes for the latrines, and one of the guys had the unenviable job of cutting out the patterns for the toilet seats.”

As the event approached, the call for volunteers went out. The response was amazing. The night before the concert the group was divided up into workers and volunteers and given red shirts or yellow shirts. We were told to show up Saturday morning at 6 a.m. I arrived promptly at 6 a.m. and, wearing my yellow shirt, off I went to my parking detail assignment.

The gates opened at 8 a m. Quiet. Then came 9 a.m. Tour buses acted as the Vineyard’s Landship Authority, going back and forth picking up passengers in towns and at the boats. A parade of cars, trucks, motorcycles and even bicycles continued for hours. Even one jogger. Guided by peacekeepers on both sides of the road, people safely found parking spots in Mitchell Posin’s outdoor parking garages. When my parking shift ended at 1 p.m., I grabbed my camera and had a great day. Most of the people sat on the grass and never seemed concerned about ticks. Remember those days?

No Nukes memories.

Ken Goldberg

Ken Goldberg

Marty Milner: “I was brush cutting the field for seating and discovered poison ivy, lots of poison ivy. But I had my 4WD Kubota tractor with its powerful rotovator and cleared that pesky plant.”

June Bug: ”Our class helped clear the land. Clarissa Allen was our teacher. We were guests of honor.”

Bonnie McElaney Menton: “I was there. One of the best Island days ever.”

Abbe Burt worked at the PACA booth, a long-ago effort to build a performing arts center on the Vineyard. Mary Lombardi sold pita pocket salads with a group of mothers from the Montessori School.

Margery Meltzer: “Cheryl and I were there right up front. What a great event.”

Rory Nugent: “The whole gang was there. Well, the old gang, that is.”

Maureen Stanus and Nancy Applebaum: “We rode our bikes from VH to the concert.”

Sarah Murphy: “I was on the peacekeeper staff. Amazing event.”

Jim Powell: “I was 18, reported for WMUA-FM, interviewed Carly and Jon Hall.” 

Nancy Fuss: “I believe I was there with all my sisters, Mary, Terry and Charlotte.”

While Sharlee Livingston was selling brownies for the Island Children’s School, her soon-to-be husband Jack was a volunteer, told to rotate to various sections.

“I finally found myself on the stage with the performers and hung there and ate,” Jack said. “I stopped rotating.”

A pregnant Dana Nunes recalled: “Most memorable for me was that it was a whole day without morning sickness. My first in weeks.”

Jim Pringle chimed in: “I still have the red shirt they gave me to work security.”

His friends want to know if it still fits.

“Oh yeah, with my besties and the rest, such a great time,” Carole Vandale said.

“I used the dirt lanes and came in the back way,” Capt. Everett Vineyard revealed,

Constance Young Compton told the truth: “Hitchhiked home from boarding school in New Hampshire to attend. Parents were not pleased, lol.”

Mary Jane Nevin was there with an ex-husband and new baby.

Donna Montesion: “Carly’s piano came from off-Island. My husband Eddie made it a special delivery to the field.”

Robin LeDoux-Forte: “My first weekend on the Island, my washashore day.”

David Ferraguzzi was appointed caretaker of garbage and adroitly spray painted his truck Sanitation LTD.  

The Vineyard has always been known for its great local music scene. Island favorites TCD, followed by the Condor Brothers got the show hopping. Alex Taylor wailed and danced his way with a rousing set that brought everyone to their feet. Kate Taylor sang a lovely solo performance. Kate had very fond memories of the day.

“It made perfect sense,” she said. “A lot of our generation living on the Island were there. People were also made aware of the concerns of nuclear energy. That day was a great time on the Vineyard. The band was great. And of course, playing with my brother Alex was always a bit of fun. On the stage looking out on the ocean, I’d say let’s do it again.”

The Pousette-Dart Band, on a national tour, took a special side trip to the Island to support the cause. They delighted the audience with their brand of country and rock ‘n roll.

John Hall, founder of Orleans, and writer of such great tunes as Dance with Me and Still the One, enthralled the audience.

The concert ended with the magical music of Carly Simon. Her version that day of You’re So Vain was a Vineyard sing-along. The show reached its climax when Carly was joined on stage by Alex, Kate and John Hall and sang to a huge standing ovation.

As the sun descended over the Chilmark hills, a beautiful Vineyard autumn day was winding down. Five thousand people had gathered under balmy September skies with a glorious view of the Atlantic Ocean, learned about the No-Nukes program and listened to great music. Alas, my volunteer shirt is too small.

Ken Goldberg lives in Edgartown.