The weekend weather was great. A lot of backyard barbecuing was held all around town and it was wonderful. Business people report that there have been a lot of folks around and the traffic nearly impossible at times it has definitely been busier than last year. The beaches have been packed each day with the hot weather making this Island a true vacation paradise. Saturday farmers’ markets have been fantastic and choked the town with endless lines of traffic. I understand the traffic jam sold by New Lane Sundries is the hit of the market this summer.

John and Jacqueline Zeisel are at their home in Quansoo for a few weeks. They have been enjoying the beach and beautiful weather.

Denise Mount, of Canton, Conn. came to visit last week. She and my wife share the same birthday (July 12). We had dinner at the Chowder House in Oak Bluffs. Son Sam came along and saw to it that we all had a wonderful evening. Denise enjoyed the beach and shopping at the farmers’ market. Denise, Anna and Phyllis Meras all took the fast ferry to New Bedford Sunday morning.

Charlie and Stevie Kernick had us over Friday night for a superb dinner on the patio. The guest of honor was Meg Carmen who summers on Old County Road. It was a wonderful evening.

The First Congregational Church’s annual Blueberry Festival will be held Saturday from noon to 4 p.m. Enjoy blueberry treats at tables and chairs on the front lawn. Baked goods to go include: blueberry/peach cobbler, blueberry pies, blueberry coffee cake and a lot more. A blueberry bush donated by Jardin Mahoney’s will be raffled off. All proceeds help support the church. For information call 508-693-2842.

Bill Coogan and his sons, Gabe, Matt and Ben, recently completed a six-day sail from Vineyard Haven to Brooklyn, N.Y., on their 30-foot cutter, Flying Bugster II. They sailed down the East River in Manhattan, through Hell Gate, past the hospital where three of his granddaughters made their first appearances, then alongside the Statue of Liberty, the Mother of Exiles, whose exhortation to “give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, I lift my lamp beside the golden door” represents the best of America at a time when hate has crept out of the gutters.

The Friends of the West Tisbury Library will hold their 61st annual book sale starting next Friday and Saturday from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m. Sunday is half price day. The sale will be held in the school gym on Old County Road. They will have a large selection available. All the books that are not sold over the weekend are free on Monday morning. They would like to thank everyone for their generous donation of books. The library is looking for volunteer cashiers; for more information about that and the sale, contact the library staff at 508-693-3366.

Phil Wallis reports that the film A Painter Who Farms will be shown on Wednesday, August 1 at 7:30 p.m. at the MV Film Center. It is none other than Asa Ruel’s grandpa Allen Whiting.

Olivia Larsen over at the library reports that Saturday at 3 p.m., they will be hosting their annual Vineyard Sound concert and ice cream social. On Tuesday at 7:30 p.m., join them at the Grange Hall for thier next Tuesdays at Twilight event. This week’s performance, titled Spotlight on Youth, features fifth-graders through high-schoolers who have been chosen by their music teachers as the most advanced, talented and hardworking young singers and instrumentalists on the Island. On Thursday at 4:30 p.m. join them for an outdoor rock concert for kids featuring the Pinkletinks playing rock versions of classic children’s songs. If there’s rain, the concert will be moved to the library’s community room.

Happy birthday to: Erik Larsen, Laura Wainwright and Pamela Danz Friday; Laura Campbell, Karen Flynn and Jean Caron Saturday; Joan Jenkinson, Maureen Healy, Paul Mahoney and Katie Hart on Sunday; Dan Bradley, Jesse Child, Lucy Norris and Larkin McBride on Monday; Mike Adell, Primo Lombardi and Mike Hull on Tuesday; Hannah Elias, Patricia Favreau, Spencer Thurlow and Rebeka Shulman on Wednesday; Fran Bradley, Cynthia Mitchell and Charles Morgan on Thursday. Belated birthday wishes to John Zeisel.

Well, that is all of the social news for this week’s column. If you have any news please call or e-mail me. Have a great week.

West Tisbury news can be sent to alleys@vineyard.net.