The long holiday weekend begins today; Monday is Memorial Day and there will be a parade and traditional observances. There will be a road race in Oak Bluffs on Sunday and the annual Tisbury town picnic on Monday. Ginger Duarte reports that the supportive day program benefit bike ride scheduled for tomorrow has been cancelled.

If the swans choose to stay in the Mill Pond it will surely feel like summer is just around the corner even if the weather has not fully cooperated.

The annual Artisans Fair begins again for the season and is open tomorrow and Sunday at the Grange Hall. Andrea Rogers says they have added a few new features. The fair is open rain or shine with free parking for all and plenty of good food. For information, call her at 508-693-8989.

Let’s not forget what Memorial Day is really all about and take some time out from all our busy activities to remember those who have gone on before us. Brian Athearn, veterans graves officer, has placed new American flags on the graves of all the veterans and put out large American flags to decorate the cemeteries.

Bruce Blackwell reports that Brandy Wight celebrated his 100th birthday on Tuesday at Oak Hammock at the University of Florida. Many friends attended the celebration. Bruce and Brandy operated many businesses on the Vineyard for a number of years and made many friends.

Bob and Barbara Levine, of Boca Raton, Fla., have returned to their Field View Lane home after spending the winter months in Florida.

Beach stickers will be available daily beginning June 14 at the tennis shed at the school on Old County Road. Weekday hours are 9 a.m. to noon and weekends from 4 to 7 p.m. Lambert’s Cove beach opens for the season on June 21. Swimming lessons begin on July 7. Please register at the same place you buy your beach sticker. For information call the park department in the town hall, 508-696-0147.

A rummage sale is being planned to raise funds to rebuild the school playground, and organizers say they have a virtual warehouse containing thousands of items including designer clothing, housewares, books and sports equipment. The sale will take place over two days, Saturday, May 31 and Sunday, June 1 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the West Tisbury school gym.

You all know by know of the tragic senseless shooting of Pat Gregory in California last week. The Vineyard community has expressed itself with a good deal of grief and disbelief. There was an informal memorial service at Lambert’s Cove Beach on Sunday. There will be a celebration of his life on Wednesday, May 28, at 4 p.m. at the Agricultural Hall.

Today marks the 124th anniversary of the purchase by the library association of the Moses Mitchell school building and land on Music street. The purchase price was $360, quite a substantial sum to invest in a small piece of real estate in 1892. Subscriptions were solicited by the association to remodel the building for library purposes and within six months $450 was raised and the work completed. When we first became a town, the library was located in a small portion of the second floor in the Dukes County Academy building next door. The Martha’s Vineyard Preservation Trust purchased the land and building for $1 just four years ago. They completely restored the building and it now serves the town as a library annex.

Happy birthday to: Eric Whitman, Nathan Belain, Deborah Cini and Jeffrey Meeks today; Tom Goethals, Toni Kurash, Brenda Brathwaite, Chuck Hughes, Lynn Buckmaster-Irwin and Emily Sobel tomorrow; Ann Nelson, Marie Allen, William Stewart and Mathew Hayden on Sunday; Richard Conover, Gail Shufrin, Wendy Turnell and Larry Yorke on Monday; Brenda Hayden, Kaila Binney, Shannon McAuliffe, Leon Brathwaite and on Tuesday; Martha Tohlen, Cheryl Stark and John Clothier on Wednesday; Alan Cottle, Dionis Montrowl, Alan Brigish, Diane Demoe, Leah Pachico, Allison Horowitz and Liza Lynch on Thursday. Kevin and Maria McFarland will celebrate their wedding anniversary on Tuesday. Belated birthday wishes to Mia Spirito and anniversary greetings to Matt and Donna Annese on Sunday.

Well, that is all the social news for this edition. If you have any news, please email (alleys@vineyard.net) me. Have a safe holiday weekend and a great week.