The annual Taste of the Vineyard dinner and auction Saturday night turned into a tribute to artist Ray Ellis, who has raised more than $1 million for Martha’s Vineyard Preservation Trust over more than two decades.

For many, it was the season opener, a chance to reconnect with friends and “taste” all the flavors of the Island. The Martha’s Vineyard Preservation Trust, an organization that cares for historic Island buildings, hosted 850 guests and 90 vendors Thursday night at the 28th annual Taste of Martha’s Vineyard gourmet stroll.

The Martha's Vineyard Preservation Trust set a new record this
week when it tallied up the results of its celebrated fundraiser, A
Taste of the Vineyard. The private, nonprofit organization's
executive director, Christopher W. Scott, announced yesterday morning
that the 17th annual Taste, which now includes two separate but related
events, a gourmet stroll and patron's dinner, raised $180,000 for
the preservation trust.

The Martha's Vineyard Preservation Trust received an
extraordinary financial boost from contributors participating in the
18th annual Taste of the Vineyard on Thursday and the Patrons Party and
Auction on Saturday night. As of yesterday the preservation trust
reported income of $170,000 from both events after expenses.

The Martha's Vineyard Shellfish Group will be offering treats from Island waters at the Martha's Vineyard Preservation Trust's Taste of the Vineyard gourmet stroll this Thursday night. They'll have a booth featuring their flavorful Island-cultured oysters. This year, strollers will be able to compare oysters cultured in Menemsha Pond and oysters raised in Katama Bay.

The misting rain and chilly temperatures didn't keep people
away from the Taste of the Vineyard Gourmet Stroll Thursday night. Men
fixing the windsor knots in their ties and women still ripping tags from
newly purchased clothes filled the tents on the Dr. Daniel Fisher House
lawn to indulge in the food and drink of the Vineyard.

One Chilmark resident who made the trek down-Island for the Taste of the Vineyard festivities this weekend may have put it best.

“I haven’t come to Edgartown for years,” said the guest of the Saturday evening patrons’ dinner and gala auction. “You people have really come a long way.”

Martha’s Vineyard Preservation Trust executive director Chris Scott stood in his usual spot onstage with auctioneer Trip Barnes Saturday night, as Mr. Barnes kicked off the Taste of the Vineyard gala auction. With only five items up for bid, it was a light year for the trust. Bidders generally have some two dozen items to choose from.

Navigating the Taste of the Vineyard Stroll is an intricate dance, one that requires patience, drive and room for more. It’s not for the faint of heart: one has to be able to sneak through walls of people while balancing a plateful of food and not spill a drink.

Thanks in large part to a Ray Ellis painting of Edgartown harbor that was auctioned for $120,000, the Martha’s Vineyard Preservation Trust raised $350,000 for the conservation of its historic buildings and properties across the Island at the annual Taste of the Vineyard fundraiser this past weekend.