The weekend weather was great and mild for this time of year, allowing us to complete projects that we had thought could be finished in the spring. If you haven’t done so already now is the time to drain the outside shower and put away the garden hoses. Would you believe the price of gasoline is a mere $3.89 per gallon? That is less than last Halloween.

Tonight we celebrate Halloween. Its origin dates back at least 2,000 years to an ancient Celtic festival. The American tradition of trick or treat dates back to the early All Souls’ Day parades in England. Poor people would beg for food and were given pastries called soul cakes. By the 1920s Halloween had become a community holiday with parades and town-wide parties. Today we spend an estimated $6.9 billion on the holiday annually, making it the country’s second largest commercial holiday. The annual library Halloween party will be held from 3:30 to 5 p.m. There will be hayrides, crafts and lots of goodies.

Over the weekend the number of lawn signs promoting candidates and ballot questions in the state election on Tuesday increased. The town clerk reports that absentee voting has been busy and will continue until Monday at noon. She reminds all voters that the polls will be open on Tuesday from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. at the Public Safety Building. She expects a large turnout of voters.

Kathy Logue, town treasurer, reports that the capital improvements planning committee has an immediate opening for one at-large member. The committee reviews and prioritizes the town’s five-year capital plan each fall/winter. They meet monthly starting in the fall and leading up to town meeting, and then generally do not meet at all or more than once April through August. If you are interested or have questions about what’s involved, call her. To apply, contact Jen Rand in the selectmen’s office. There’s no deadline, just apply as soon as possible as they are entering their busy season.

Warren Hollinshead of Pond View Road advises that number one on his wife Marilyn’s bucket list was to climb Machu Picchu and then see the Galapagos Islands with their blue and red-footed boobies, sea lions, marine iguanas, Darwin finches and much more. Despite their aged knees, they did make the climb and had a couple of bright, sunny days exploring Machu Picchu, followed by all the wildlife and volcanic features of the Galapagos. He reports that they had great fun, but it is always nice to return home.

Paul Karasik reports that the 10th annual scarecrow fundraiser sponsored by the Martha’s Vineyard Public Charter School has been a huge success. Scarecrows will be coming down on Sunday, so make sure to get down-Island to see them all.

Amy Hoff over at the library reports that tomorrow from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. the library will host a free poetry workshop for adults, Mining Poems for the Resonant Image, taught by West Tisbury poet laureate Justen Ahren. Explore how to find the images that resonate by working with writing prompts and existing poems. Bring something to write with and an original poem you’d like to mine. Preregister at the library or via email to programs@westtisburylibrary.org. On Monday at 7 p.m., Carolina Cooney will lead a discussion of Roz Chast’s National Book Award finalist Can’t We Talk About Something More Pleasant? Whether you’re new to comics/graphic novels or a lifelong fan, you’ll enjoy their monthly meetings. The book club is free and open to readers ages 16 and up.

On Sunday afternoon Oct. 31, 1971, 70 children gathered at the Agricultural Hall for the sixth annual Halloween party sponsored by Joe and Mary Ferriera. There was plenty of candy, cakes and other goodies for the affair. Tina Fisher and the Rev. and Mrs. Robert Arthur were busy in the kitchen fixing hot dogs, coffee, punch and donuts. Four prizes were awarded for costumes with Stephanie Hull judged the prettiest. She was dressed as a small replica of Martha Washington. Funniest was Alison Case dressed as a frog in a hilariously creative get-up designed and made by her aunt. Her brother Tim was judged the most original in his mushroom costume. The prize for the ugliest costume went to a scarecrow that was so well disguised that no one seemed to know who he or she was. The judges were Mr. Arthur and Shirley Mayhew. At five o’clock sharp Fred Fisher arrived with a horse-drawn wagon to take the party participants on a hayride through the cemetery. It was reported that everyone had a great time.

Happy birthday to Adam Church, Laura Enter and Raymond Tocik today; Judith Baumrin, Rob Rainey, David Atwood, Hermine Hull, Peter Damico and Selena Roman tomorrow; Doug Kent, Coco Brown, Alexis Russillo, Sarah Rubick, Peter Gallagher and Julie Skinner on Sunday; Charlene Douglas, Gail Rowe, Raine Monast, Lucy Mayhew and Suzanne Howes on Monday; Norman Perry, Mike Lynch, Sarah Monast and Maggie Chianese on Tuesday; John Mansfield, Steve Pietruska and David Sprague on Wednesday, and Marian Irving, Judy Jaries, Pat Waring, Peter Huntington and Dawn Feinsmith on Thursday.

Well, that is all of the social news for this week’s column. If you have any news please call or email me. Remember two things for next week: turn your clocks back one hour on Sunday or the trick will be on you, and be sure to vote on Tuesday. Happy Halloween everyone!

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