The reviews are coming in for Beach Road Weekend. So far, so good. I spoke with some close by neighbors who said it was orderly, fun and did not significantly interrupt their neighborhood. All music ended by 9 p.m., and it was an orderly egress to leave Veterans Park and be returned to cars and boats. Headliners were wonderful, people danced, and especially welcome were many of our own Island bands. Laura Ozella-Hamel, the recreation director of the Martha’s Vineyard Family Campground, reports many of the festival goers stayed at the Campgrounds. She was impressed with the work of Adam Troy Epstein and his crew. The campers particularly mentioned to her their delight in our own Island musicians. The weather cooperated. Same time, next year?

Almost adjacent to the festivities is our Martha’s Vineyard Museum. I hope many newcomers to the Island took in the new museum location and the Thomas Hart Benton exhibit. The exhibit came down on August 11. Directors at the museum proclaimed it a great success and especially thanked his daughter, Jessie Benton, for her input with the exhibit. The next big event at the museum will be the August 19 arrival and presentation by my friend, Julieanna Richardson, of Chicago. Julieanna is the founder and president of Historymakers, the nation’s largest archive of African American video oral history. On August 19 the museum is offering a workshop with techniques for taking and refining oral history. Contact them to reserve your spot. I’ll see you there.

On August 20, Island musicians Jemima James, Kate Taylor and Rose Guerin will play for you at the museum from 6 to 7 p.m. That is a Tuesday night so it is free. Steve Bernier of Cronig’s has kindly provided a grant to make Tuesdays at the Museum free to all. Thank you, Steve.

Meanwhile, some great news from our Island kids. Well, grown kids. I am happy to report that after suffering a terrible head injury, Isaac Luther Higgins is out of his coma and doing so well. He expressed his gratitude to all in a beautiful letter he wrote and posted online. We all wish him the best on his road to recovery.

And one of the special friends I met while subbing at the Tisbury school, Kristen Kazlauskas, is wending her way back to the Island she loves. She is currently working at Falmouth Hospital, and has found an apartment in East Falmouth suitable for herself and her beloved Patches. Patches is my God-dog.

Be sure to catch Low Down and Dirty Blues at our Vineyard Playhouse. Tickets are on sale now for performances through September 7. I hear the staging is fabulous.

Condolences to my cousin Dana Spiconardi and her mom. Their darling pooch, Grace, passed last week. Up there, chasing balls and sticks.

Get well to Robbie Morgan Burke, Barbara Beichek and Rhonda Griffin.

August 13 is a special day for me and perhaps for you: National Left-Handers Day. Prepare to smear more ink.

Belated birthday bouquets to Sandie Corr-Dolby for August 7. The birthday bandwagon pulls along her daughter, Melissa Dolby, on August 15. And on August 19 Jeff Pratt and Bill Clinton take the cake. Many happy returns.

I’ll see you at the Fair!

Send Vineyard Haven news to iklean@yahoo.com.