Labor Day is on Monday and marks the end of the high summer season. All municipal buildings and the post offices will be closed. The VTA buses begin their fall schedule on Tuesday and the SSA schedule changes on Friday. The only difference I can see is that there will be one less trip to Oak Bluffs.

The fair is but a memory as most all of the carnival units returned to the mainland by Wednesday. We have had excellent but cool weather; sadly all good things must come to an end as school starts on Thursday. Many other school systems in the commonwealth opened last week. There were several end-of-the-season parties last weekend and a few more are planned over the holiday weekend. If you have to go downtown you will immediately notice a drop in the volume of automobile traffic and you might even find a parking place.

Richard Reische reports that last weekend their son Kirk and his family, Susan, Luke and Heather, arrived from Pelham, N.Y., just before their oldest son Eric and his son Dane flew in from Aspen, Colo. All of them stayed for a week and enjoyed the beach. Luke said, “I’m falling over with excitement about coming to Martha’s Vineyard and hanging out with Grandpa.”

Marilyn and Warren Hollinshead are again grateful for the great Agricultural Fair; they sure did enjoy all of it. The fair was the draw for multiple day visits by both daughters Dana and Anne and their families. In addition to the fair, there were several beach days mixed in for maximum enjoyment by everyone.

Stevie and Charlie Kernick of Edgartown Road had their old friends from Chapel Hill, Elinor and Jay Williams, as guests for fair week. This was their first Vineyard visit. While being introduced to two dealers from Wilmington who sell their wares at the Chilmark flea market and Grange antique shows every summer, another customer overheard the North Carolina connection and commented that she was actually from Raleigh. In fact, the booth next door was run by Jane Neumann from Durham, her sister in law is Jane Slater, Chilmark columnist and owner of Over South Antiques in Menemsha. The Kernicks just sold their winter home in Hillsborough and will be living here year round.

Jane and Ed Konicki of Webster headed back home last Saturday. Ed reports they enjoyed the fair, dining out and seeing all of their friends. They plan to return in the fall.

Benny Zaricor and Deborah Donnelly from Roswell, Ga., and first-time Vineyard visitors, were married on board the sailing ship Mystic last Thursday. They enjoyed their visit and plan to return next year.

Bob and Diantha Eisendrath of Belmont have spent most of August at their home and have had several house guests. They will be staying through Labor Day.

Steve Maxner will be offering free guitar lessons at the library. The class will be for 10 consecutive weeks beginning Sept. 15 at 7 p.m. and is limited to adults. Instruments will be provided. Amy Hoff reports that there will be a $20 materials fee. Preregister at the library. Space is limited and applications are available at the library.

On July 15, 1947, James A. Austin of Scarsdale, N.Y., for many years a summer visitor in Lambert’s Cove, purchased property on Paul’s Point consisting of more than 26 acres and 2,000 feet of shore frontage on Vineyard Sound from the heirs of C.F. Morse. Also included in the transfer is the bungalow on the point, which Mr. Austin plans to modernize and enlarge to use for a summer home. Paul’s Point is one of the most prominent projections into Vineyard Sound, lying between Lambert’s Cove and Cedar Tree Neck. The name derives from Old Paul, an Indian convert from Christiantown who died in the 17th century.

Happy birthday to Nicole Alley, Liz Wilson, Victoria Anthony, Cheryl Lowe and Anthony Piland today; Pat Mitchell, Chuck Wiley, Michael Smith, Marilyn Wortman, Rebecca Solway and Janet Johnson tomorrow; Ebba Hierta, Karen Russilo, Candace Webster and Dianne Carbone on Sunday; Hilary Blocksom, Ann Bassett, Nelia Decker and Jane Dreeben on Monday; Dick Burt, Bonnie Eldridge, Michelle Spain and Mary Sobel on Tuesday; Frank Giglio, Kathleen Young and Jonathan Roderick on Wednesday, and Ward Just, Laurie Mazer and Gloria Sylva on Thursday. Belated birthday wishes to Leslie Stark and 7th anniversary greetings to Jay Segel and Celine Gobard on Saturday.

Well, that is all of the social news for this week’s column. If you have any news please call or email me. Have a great week.

Send your West Tisbury news to: alleys@vineyard.net.