Chilmark is facing midsummer with plenty of sunshine and warmth. The crowds seem bigger than ever and the usual breaks called changeover weekends seem not to be happening this season. We are hoping the of- site parking is helping folks to better enjoy Menemsha.

I hope you caught a glimpse of the NOAA twin hull coastal mapping vessel, the Ferdinand R. Hassler. She is equipped for hydrographic surveys and is intended for all sorts of marine research. She spent some time moored off the beach this week. If you missed seeing the ship, I suggest you Google NOAA as they have pictures.

Max and Connie McCreery are involved in the largest family reunion I have heard of in Chilmark. Some 50 people are on hand to celebrate eight family birthdays and renew many family ties. The families represented are Connie’s siblings. The easiest way to tell you about this is to name the sibling and explain that each is accompanied by children and in some cases, grandchildren. Connie’s sisters Judy Fraser and Gail Cooper and her brother, George, are here with families. Tom and Betsy Sheehy are part of the Snelling family and they are here with families. The folks that traveled the farthest for this celebration are the Snelling family with five-year-old triplets who came from Wellington, New Zealand. Cheers to all the birthday folk!

The Chilmark Community Church has Vicky and Armen Hanjian as pastors this summer and is offering Sunday School and Bible study through the summer. Service is at 9 a.m. and the Bible study will be after church, ending by 11:30 a.m. The popular lobster rolls-to-go sales continue on Tuesdays from 4:30 to 7 p.m. The Wednesday and Saturday flea markets on North Road are well attended and offer many varieties of vendors.

The Chilmark library wants to remind students in sixth through 12th grades of the opportunity to enter a poem in the annual Elisa Brickner Poetry contest by August 10. The library Wednesday afternoon program for next week is a talk by Oak Bluffs author Kevin Parham about his book The Vineyard We Knew: A Recollection of Summers on Martha’s Vineyard. The program begins at 5 p.m.

Bob and Bonnie George of Quansoo welcomed their seventh grandchild this week when Eloise Byrd Neugeborn was born on July 15 in New York city. Her parents are Emily and Ian Neugeborn. We are eager for Eloise’s first Vineyard visit. Congratulations to all!

Chip and Marsha Phillips and their sons, Adam and Justin, of Richmond, Va. are at their Larsen Lane cottage for their annual vacation. Chip’s sister, Susan with husband Ed Weber and children Owen and Anna, will come from Union, Me. to join the family for several days next week. Marjorie Phillips, mother and grandmother to the visitors, will enjoy the visits!

Kevin and Nancy Quinn of Northborough were at their Larsen Lane cottage for an annual vacation.

Doug and Carol Whittier of Winthrop, Me. are at the Smith cottage on Larsen Lane and entertained their son Jonathan and granddaughter Sienna of Tucson, Ariz. for several days.

Cassie and Hannah Shawver of Bedford, N.H. visited Ted and Judy Mayhew last weekend. They are the granddaughters of Ted’s sister, Carol and her husband Jim Mays.

Judy and her daughters, Sarah and Becky, entertained on Friday last at a party for Ted, celebrating his 75th birthday. Many family and friends gathered for the festivities. Carol and Jim Mays came from Londonderry, N.H. and Terri Shawver came from Bedford, N.H. We all send many happy birthday wishes to Ted!

There was more excitement for Ted and Judy last week when Judy’s niece Sophie Spicer and Mark Hilditch were married in Hitchin, Hartfordshire, England Judy was unable to attend and was despondent, but the high-tech world we live in provided the Mayhews with an opportunity to be there. Their friends at the wedding were able to show them the ceremony in real time by using Facetime. The bride and groom waved to Ted and Judy and included them in the experience. Cheers to the bride and groom!

The Martha’s Vineyard Book Festival will be in Chilmark on Friday, July 31 at 5:30 p.m. with a program at the Chilmark Community Center to open the festival. It will be a dialogue between two high- profile journalists: Ta-Nehisi Coates and Michele Norris. Coates is a national correspondent for The Atlantic and has recently published a book, Between the World and Me, and Norris is a National Public Radio host and founder of The Race Card Project. Tickets can be purchased at www.bookfest.bpt.me.

The festival moves to Edgartown on Saturday, August 1 and back to Chilmark Community Center on Sunday, August 2 from 9 a.m to 4:30 p.m. Please go to www.mvbookfestival.com for the full schedule. There will be many well-known and respected authors speaking and books will be available for purchase. The festival is free to all on Saturday and Sunday. It is always the event of the season and not to be missed.

Send Chilmark news to slaterjn@comcast.net.