Shark sweatshirts, flamingo-patterned suits, and floral-patterned dresses were just a few of the looks spotted under the white tent last Thursday evening for the 32nd annual Taste of the Vineyard Gourmet Stroll.
There was a parade of pastel down Edgartown streets— and a line around the corner —as more than 1,500 people flocked to the grounds of the Dr. Daniel Fisher house.
The event is a hot ticket start-of-season party where Island restaurants show off their culinary skills by offering samples of new or signature dishes for the benefit of the Martha’s Vineyard Preservation Trust. Near 100 vendors participated this year, serving bites and sips to lucky ticket holders.
Trust executive director Funi Burdick said all 1,000 tickets sold out within a day.
“They went on sale at midnight on May 15, and by the time I was in the office the next morning, 750 had sold,” she said.
The stroll raises funds for the trust’s stewardship of 24 properties across the Island, including the Old Whaling Church, the Flying Horses, Alley’s General Store and the Union Chapel.
“Stewardship means taking care of your properties, from the roof to the basement to the foundation, and all the landscaping that goes around it,” Ms. Burdick said.
This year’s Taste may have been the 32nd for the trust, but it was Ms. Burdick’s first. She came on board as executive director in January following the retirement of longtime executive director Chris Scott.
“I had very high expectations. So many people told me how much they looked forward to coming to this event,” she said. “Well, it surpassed my expectations.”
The Sultans of Swing got people grooving on the dance floor while others tasted a wide array of food, from duck ravioli to skewers of fried potato to carrot tarts and squares of pizza, and sipped on a bevy of drinks.
“Everyone seemed to put their best food forward, if you will,” said Ms. Burdick.
On Saturday night the gala continued with the annual patron’s party and auction which featured generous donations from bidders who share the preservation trust’s goal of preserving Vineyard landmarks.
Board chairman Robert Graham spoke about the change in leadership, prasied Ms. Burdick’s enthusiasm and said he hopes it will inspire interest in the Trust’s landmarks.
“We want to bring the sites back into Islanders’ lives,” he said.
The Trust’s most recent acquisition was the former Carnegie Library on Edgartown’s North Water street. The space is slated to open as an Island heritage center in December.
After guests young and old enjoyed drinks, hors d’oeuvres and dinner, the live auction began. Quoting historian David McCullough, Ms. Burdick spoke about the importance of being able to stand in an “authentic place” for the appreciation of its history.
Emcee Clarence (Trip) Barnes 3rd auctioned off tickets to see Aretha Franklin at the Tabernacle, a wooden chest painted by artist Margot Datz, the nine-foot long sign from the former Edgartown National Bank and many other items.
Together, the two events raised about $500,000.
Vivian Ewing contributed reporting.
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