We had excellent hot weather over the long holiday weekend, just the way it should be for the Fourth. The Independence Day parade was well attended, as was Woollcott and Leah Smith’s annual party the night before. About 75 people took part in the evening’s festivities.

Up on South Road, Dan Leventritt and Jen Wool report that Emily Licht from Portland, Me., and her fiancé, Alex Brady from Darien, Conn., visited the Blue Barque last week to put the finishing touches on plans for their 2017 nuptials. Alex helped with renovations at the Barque and now he and Emily live in Denver, Colorado. The couple was joined by their families and sampled wedding cakes and mapped out their event plans at the Barque.

Bob Luskin, of Edgartown Road, reports that he and his wife Charlotte are here through late September. Charlotte’s daughter Miranda is with them and working at Alchemy. His son Peter remains in Beirut, leading regional humanitarian access for Mercy Corps. It is his team’s job to figure out how to deliver aid in the middle of a war; not that different than what Peter was doing in Afghanistan, except that Beirut has a Four Seasons. Bob’s younger son Cass is still a public defender down in Lafayette, La., overwhelmed, underpaid, and very happy. He says both boys are surely doing the Lord’s work. Natalie has stayed in Charleston this summer to take some classes and work, although she’ll be visiting them later.

Last Thursday I got a summer surprise. I was taken to the Martha’s Vineyard Hospital after an episode of dehydration secondary to a fever and a bout of painful cellulitis in my lower leg. My thanks to all of the nurses and staff of MVH for all their help in getting me home on the Fourth of July. I could not get to the parade. My thanks to Anna and Charlie Kernick for pinch hitting at the post office.

The grandchildren and their parents arrived about two hours after I got home. They are busy doing things, first they went the parade with Sam while Anna and I stayed home with the babies.

Paul Levine reports that the library presents The World of the Troubadours and Trobairitz VII, Poems, Songs, and Music from 12th and 13th Century Southern France on Sunday, July 17 at 3 p.m. at the library.

The Congregational Church’s fourth annual blueberry festival will be on Saturday, July 16 from noon to 4 p.m. This delicious family and community event is a refreshing summer treat. Also you will find vintage jewelry, kids’ activities, African crafts, visiting puppets, fresh flowers, and a raffle for a blueberry bush that will be delivered to the winner. All proceeds of this fundraiser help support this historic church and our Island community. Look for the blueberry banner and bright balloons on the church fence in the center of town. For more information call 508-693-2842.

Geoff Currier reports that on July 12 there will be a Tuesdays at Twilight concert at the Grange Hall in West Tisbury featuring Nina Violet and Friends. The concert is sponsored by the West Tisbury Library Foundation. All proceeds go the West Tisbury Free Public Library.

On July 1, 1942 new blackout regulations for this town were passed along from the federal government, with a warning that they are to be strictly enforced. They were: 1, Any outdoor lighting fixtures on a building cannot hold a bulb larger than 10 watts and the bulb must be directed downward; 2, All windows where any light could be visible must be completely darkened; 3, Window shades must be drawn in all lighted rooms; 4, Night driving shall be with parking lights only with a top speed of 15 mph.

Happy birthday to: Jack Mayhew, John Karalekas and William Austin Friday; Jason Neago, Devin Church and Skip Manter Saturday; David Merry, Joy Robinson-Lynch, Sandy Fisher, Paul Wilkins, Rez Williams and Mary McDonough on Sunday; Mike Colaneri, Nancy Salon, Andrew Woodruff and Dennis White on Monday; Anna Alley, Denise Mount, Levi Flanders, Mike Ferry, Lauraye White and Martina Mastromonaco on Tuesday; Paul Karasik, David Perzanowski, Rev. Cathlin Baker, Karen Lobdell and Deanna Devries on Wednesday; and Tina Miller, Jay Schwartz, and John Walsh on Thursday. Belated birthday wishes to the honorable Dudley Eppel and Bruce Stone.

Well that is all of the social news for this edition. Please call or e-mail me with your news. Have a great week.

Send West Tisbury news to alleys@vineyard.net.