Even before the lanterns were lit for the 136th Grand Illumination the grounds of the Martha's Vineyard Camp Meeting Association were aglow with lights. Children and adults streamed into the Camp Ground in Oak Bluffs with blue, green and red glow sticks, glowing necklaces and flashing earrings.

The annual event is one of the cornerstones of an Island summer and has its roots in the time of Methodist camp meetings. The first Illumination Night took place in 1869 in honor of Governor's Day and was sponsored by the Oak Bluffs Land and Wharf Company.

For the members of the camp meeting association, this year's celebration held an even deeper meaning, as the Camp Ground was officially honored as a National Historic Landmark by the Secretary of the Interior. Stephen Prokop, chief ranger and acting superintendent of the Cape Cod National Sea Shore, presented association president Russell Dagnall with a plaque marking Wesleyan Grove as a landmark.

Mr. Prokop was also given the honor of lighting the first lantern, signaling the cottagers to light theirs as well. Usually this honor goes to an older member of the association who has contributed greatly over the years.

On Wednesday people arrived early, staking out a chair in the iron Tabernacle or claiming a space on the lawn to lay a blanket and have a picnic. Others wandered the Camp Ground inspecting houses, chatting with residents and gazing at the Chinese and Japanese lanterns hung from the windows and porches of the gingerbread cottages.

The festivities began at 7:30 p.m. as the Vineyard Haven Band invited people into the area with the sounds of Hey, Look Me Over and The Homefront. Children danced in the aisles of the Tabernacle, on the grass and on the sidewalks. One little girl in jeans, a yellow shirt and pink bows spun around, grabbing for the closest member of her family to dance with her. She laughed as she danced, inching closer to the stage with each turn.

The signal to settle down came as Virginia and Arthur Hetherington and another couple walked down the center aisle of the Tabernacle dressed in Victorian costumes: Mrs. Hetherington in a purple dress and carrying a parasol, Mr. Hetherington in a black tuxedo with tails and a top hat. They have lived at 15 Trinity Park for 13 years, known to many for its pink shingles and hearts.

"We just love theatre and love dressing up," Mrs. Hetherington said later as she strolled around the grounds, stopping occasionally to pose for a photograph. "The people appreciate it." She added that over the years they have studied up on their Camp Ground history, and feel honored to be able to bring the history to life.

After the couples finished their walk, Robert Cleasby, director of programs, took center stage in his signature red pants and carnation to lead the group in a community sing. Stefan Young sat at the piano to give the audience some assistance. He was joined by his father, Raymond Young, who had announced his retirement last year but returned to play the introductory music and the Star-Spangled Banner.

Soon, the audience was up and down and all over the place as Mr. Cleasby led them through Swiss Navy, John Brown's Baby and Amazing Grace. The sing finished with a patriotic melody that brought forth great effort by the children as they joyously and loudly broke into the song they knew best, You're A Grand Old Flag.

When the program ended the crowd cheered as Mr. Prokop presented the plaque. The lights went out and the first ceremonial lantern was lit. At the signal, other pinpricks of light appeared across the Camp Ground, and soon all of the cottages were aglow, their intricate design work casting long shadows on the grass.

In the early days the lanterns were lit with candles. While some people are still traditionalists, others have installed elaborate electrical systems that allow them to flip a switch and turn all their lanterns on at once.

The lanterns are a story unto themselves. They are red, blue, white and green. They are centuries old or as new as yesterday's downtown shopping trip. They come from across the country and around the world.

Leigh Alleson, a summer visitor to Oak Bluffs for 20 years, grabbed her eight-year-old daughter Chelsea's hand so as not to lose her in the darkness. They walked out of the Tabernacle and began to navigate their way around the park, pausing at each house to take note. People were everywhere, bumping into one another with "excuse me" and "pardon me" as they made their way through the crowd.

Chelsea, who was clearly awestruck by the lanterns, begged for one of her own. She had been to Illumination Night before, but was finally old enough to appreciate the significance, her mother said.

As they finished their circuit Mrs. Alleson stopped at the association headquarters to grant her daughter's request. They left hand in hand, Chelsea with her own red lantern tucked beneath her arm, red glow sticks lighting the way out of the grounds.

Many enjoyed the evening from the porches of their gingerbread cottages. They drank lemonade and invited friends and strangers to enjoy lemon bars, brownies and cookies. At one house, a young man played his flute as two women danced on the second floor porch with parasols. When the music stopped, the crowd that had surrounded the house begged for more. They were rewarded with another round of songs.

And inside the Tabernacle the band played on. Mr. Prokop sat and listened, taking in the whole of the evening.

"This was a big assignment," he said, adding he had read much about the history of the Camp Ground, and the more he read the more excited he became. "I plan on returning. And as soon as I get back I'm going to call the director of the national park service to let her know what a great place this is."