Art
Lecture on Spirituals
The Vineyard Haven Public Library hosts James Thomas, founding president of the U.S. Slave Song Project, to speak on the history and interpretation of spirituals, on Tuesday, June 10, at 6:30 p.m.
Gardening expert and author C.L. Fornari will launch her new book, A Garden Lover’s Martha’s Vineyard, with a wine and cheese signing reception open to all on Thursday, June 12, from 5 to 7 p.m. at Polly Hill Arboretum in West Tisbury. Gazette readers can get a taste of the full-color book — which features Island gardens large and small, from formal layouts in Edgartown to Victorian-inspired gardens in Oak Bluffs to casual up-Island gardens — from the excerpt below, about a Chilmark couple growing a vineyard on the Vineyard.
The Permanent Endowment Fund for Martha’s Vineyard has hired Ralinda Lurie as its first executive director.
“With the growth we have been experiencing in recent years, it was time to formalize our operations and development efforts,” said Debbie Hale, chairman of the board, in a statement.
Strawberry Festival
The First Congregational Church of West Tisbury has scheduled the 20th annual Strawberry Festival on Saturday, June 21, from 1 to 4 p.m.
The strawberries — 550 pounds of them — have been ordered to accommodate the crowd expected at this popular Island event. All proceeds benefit the preservation of the historic West Tisbury church. More information is available by calling 508-693-2842.
Zeb — Schooner Life, a film documentary about the Vineyard’s legendary schooner Captain Zeb Tilton, premieres Thursday, June 26, at 7 p.m. at the Capawock Theater in Vineyard Haven. The event will benefit the Martha’s Vineyard Museum. Future screenings on the Island are planned as well.
Best known for his playing of Appalachian music, multi-instrumentalist Bruce Molsky has spent decades learning from the masters of the old-time music tradition. On Friday, June 13, he’s bringing that fiddle, banjo and guitar music to Katharine Cornell Theatre on Spring street in Vineyard Haven courtesy of the KCT Concert Series.