Following 118 days of darkness, the Gay Head Light will shine again on Tuesday, August 11. The iconic red and white light that sweeps over the Gay Head Cliffs was extinguished April 16 in preparation for a major project to move the lighthouse away from the eroding cliffs.
Members of the United States Coast Guard, which installed a temporary beacon past the shops at Aquinnah Circle in April, will be on hand to manage the relighting. Lighthouse committee member Paula Eisenberg said the relighting would happen promptly at 6 p.m.
The public is invited to attend the ceremony. A party at the Aquinnah Circle will follow, with free beer, food from Island vendors and live music by the Black Brook Singers, Good Night Louise and Isaac Taylor. Mr. Taylor will sing Red Queen, an original homage to the lighthouse. Ms. Eisenberg encouraged people to arrive at 5:30 p.m. so as not to miss the relighting.
Guests will also be invited to sign up for the Gay Head 10K race, scheduled for Oct. 4. Registration is $30. Proceeds will benefit the restoration of the lighthouse.
During the relocation project, the discovery of endangered plant habitat near the lighthouse, along with lead-contaminated soil, increased the fundraising goal from $3 million to $3.4 million. Ms. Eisenberg said Friday that fundraising efforts would continue.
The lighthouse was moved 129 feet without incident over three days beginning May 28. Workers have since completed a new foundation and retaining wall, returned excavated soil to the site, and begun the landscaping. The landscaping will likely be completed in the fall. Meanwhile, members of the public will be restricted to certain areas.
Beginning Wednesday, the lighthouse will be open to the public daily from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. through Oct. 12. It will also be open for sunsets on Thursdays from 6 to 8 p.m. through Sept. 10.
The town of Aquinnah has entered into a two-month agreement with the Martha’s Vineyard Museum, which will lease and operate the historic lighthouse. As part of the agreement, the museum and town will split all proceeds exceeding $40,000. Prior to the move, the museum had a similar agreement with the U.S. Coast Guard, which owned the property. The property was transferred to the town this winter as part of the relocation project.
“There aren’t going to be any public events because the grounds aren’t ready,” lighthouse committee member Jim Pickman said at a selectmen’s meeting Tuesday. “But we do think there is going to be increased public interest.”
Admission is $5 for adults, and free for children and museum members.
The town is also working with the Martha’s Vineyard Chamber of Commerce, the lighthouse committee and Arts Martha’s Vineyard to establish a cultural district that would include the area around Aquinnah Circle, along with the lighthouse and Moshup Beach. The Massachusetts Cultural Council designation would not bring immediate monetary benefits, Mr. Pickman said, but would open the door to funding and tourism opportunities. The selectmen signed off on the application on Tuesday.
This article has been changed to update the time of the lighting and clarify Ms. Eisenberg's comments about fundraising.
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