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7.1.15

Best of the Vineyard 2015 Events and Entertainment

Best Charity Event: Taste of the Vineyard, Martha’s Vineyard Preservation Trust

Dr. Daniel Fisher House lawn, Main Street, Edgartown, 508-627-4440

Runner-up: Possible Dreams Auction, Martha’s Vineyard Community Services

Winnetu Oceanside Resort, 31 Dunes Road, Edgartown, 508-693-7900

Grab your complimentary wine glasses, balance those plates (and heels), and sample the best food the Vineyard has to offer, all in one place, at this kickoff-to-summer event. The Taste benefits the Martha’s Vineyard Preservation Trust, which restores and preserves Island architectural treasures. In July, take up the paddle at the annual Possible Dreams Auction, where dreams like stargazing with Inspector Gadget come true.

Best Live Band or Musician: Johnny Hoy and the Bluefish

508-696-3007, johnnyhoyandthebluefish.com

Runner-up: The Mike Benjamin Band

508-642-0439, mikebenjaminmusic.com

Dust off those boots, leave the long day at the door. Johnny Hoy and the Bluefish are here to help lift your spirits by dancing your cares away. Catch them on Memorial Wharf or at The Ritz, and always at the Barn Raisers’ Ball. The Mike Benjamin Band covers a mean tune and knows how to get the bar or wedding party fired up.

Best Live Music Venue: The Ritz

4 Circuit Avenue, Oak Bluffs, 508-693-9851, theritzmv.com

Runner-up: Flatbread Company

17 Airport Road, Edgartown, 508-693-1137, flatbreadcompany.com

Locals know that the Ritz is the place to go for fun, authentic music and dancing any time of year. And it only gets livelier in the summer. The walls of Flatbread have been alive with music since the heydays of the Hot Tin Roof. World-famous and Island-famous acts regularly share the stage.

Best Movie Theater, Festival, or Series: Martha’s Vineyard Film Center

Tisbury Marketplace, 79 Beach Road, Vineyard Haven, 508-696-9369, mvfilmsociety.com

Runner-up: Entertainment Cinemas

65 Main Street, Edgartown, 508-627-8008, entertainmentcinemas.com/locations/edgartown

With its independent film selections, comfy seating, and fancy snacks, the Film Center brings big-city entertainment to our little Island. State-of-the-art digital technology, surround sound, and 3D capability make Entertainment Cinemas in Edgartown the place to go for big blockbusters.

Best Off-Season Event: Christmas in Edgartown

Various locations, edgartownboardoftrade.com

Runner-up: Martha’s Vineyard Striped Bass & Bluefish Derby

Weigh Station, Dock Street, Edgartown, mvderby.com

Picturesque Edgartown gets holly jolly each year with a festive parade down Main Street. There’s fun for all ages, but kids are the real winners, with activities, holiday crafts, and treats throughout the weekend. Santa even comes to town, so bring your list. Derby days in the fall lure anglers of all ages to make their marks on the leader board.

Best Performing Arts Organization: Martha’s Vineyard Playhouse

24 Church Street, Vineyard Haven, 508-693-6450, vineyardplayhouse.org

Runner-up: The Yard

Off Middle Road, Chilmark, 508-645-9662, dancetheyard.org

The Martha’s Vineyard Playhouse has top-notch theater productions, a winter cabaret, musical performances, Monday night specials, outdoor shows at the Tisbury Amphitheater, and a Summer Stars Theater Arts Camp – to name just some of the offerings. Plus, after extensive renovations that wrapped up last year, it’s looking better than ever. During the summer, the Yard hosts artists in residence and a children’s dance camp at its Chilmark campus, as well as weekly performances through September.

Elizabeth Cecil

Best Summer Event: Martha’s Vineyard Agricultural Society Livestock Show and Fair

35 Panhandle Road off State Road, West Tisbury, 508-693-9549, mvas.vineyard.net

Runner-up: Oak Bluffs Fireworks

Ocean Park, Oak Bluffs, 508-693-0077

It is, by all accounts, the best week of the summer, when August treats the Island to Ferris wheel rides, fried dough, and fireworks. Want to toss a skillet? Win an award for a pie? Watch a lumberjack competition? You can do it all at the fair. If you want to catch the fireworks up close, stake out your spot at Ocean Park early – blankets start dotting the lawn hours before the big show. You might even catch a glimpse of the presidential motorcade passing by.