An estimated 5,000 to 6,000 people strolled downtown Vineyard Haven on Monday night, from the Mansion House to the Green Room, browsing the wares of the street-side stalls for the annual Tisbury Street Fair.
The fair began in 1971 when the town celebrated its 300th birthday with a parade and street fair and has been an early July mainstay ever since. The event was founded by Cora Medeiros, often referred to as the unofficial town matriarch, who died in 2016.
The smell of fried dough and smoked meats mingled with the sound of Johnny Hoy and the Bluefish as Island retailers and restaurants recreated their shops on tables along the street. The West Tisbury police department used one of their speed-guns to gauge the velocity of participants’ fastballs. The American Legion offered lobster rolls, and Connect To End Violence spread their message about sexual assault and domestic violence awareness.
Vineyard Caribbean Cuisine had a particularly long line. The restaurant, located at Five Corners, brought their signature meat smoker to the fair. Chef Anthony Foster manned the smoker, keeping the jerk chicken, jerk pork and barbecued ribs in rotation.
Mr. Foster said that the secret is their sauce. However, he would only reveal one ingredient: “the love we put into the sauce.”
But the longest line by far was in front of Mardell’s gift shop. Just over halfway through the event, the store manager said she had already sold over 400 cans of Silly String.
“We sell out every year,” she said as she tried to accommodate more kids with outstretched hands.
Fair-goers had to remain alert to avoid getting caught in a Silly String cross-fire as the streams of brightly colored plastic were propelled through the air.
“You gotta be ready,” said one Silly String wielding kid when asked why he made the purchase. “Everyone has it,” he added.
By the end of the night, empty aerosol cans and squished Silly String spread across Main Street like shrapnel in the aftermath of a battle.
As the last notes from Johnny Hoy’s harmonica rang out into the street, festival-goers began to trickle back to their cars.
Happy 48th birthday, street fair. Happy 348th birthday, Tisbury.
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