Michael Gately purchased 8 Norton Farm Road in West Tisbury for $349,000 on August 1.

Janet A. Constantino purchased 74 David Avenue in Vineyard Haven for $465,000 on August 1.

James Tewhey and Karen M. Tewhey purchased 4 Strawberry Lane in Oak Bluffs for $645,000 on July 31.

Lloyd Daughtry and Janine Simon-Daughtry purchased 16 Edgartown Meadows Road in Edgartown for $517,500 on August 2.

CKV Fuller Street LLC purchased 28 Fuller Street in Edgartown for $2,100,000 on July 31.

Brian Gager, Stewart D. Gager and Virginia V. Gager purchased 43 12th street South in Edgartown for $187,500 on July 31.

On a bright and sunny Wednesday last week, Don Margolis, 53, slipped into the waters off Aquinnah and swam to Cuttyhunk. Accompanied by his wife and two friends, who traveled alongside him in a small Boston Whaler, Mr. Margolis made the crossing in a little over three hours.

The last dry town on the Vineyard could be turning wet. The Chilmark selectmen have set a public hearing for August 27 to explore the idea of allowing alcohol sales at restaurants in the up-Island town.

Shearing Day is from noon to 2:30 p.m. on Wednesday, August 14 at Island Alpaca. The event features the newest alpaca babies, also referred to as cria, getting their first shave. August, after all, can be hot, especially for those with fur.

Admission is $5 per person.

For more information, visit islandalpaca.com or call 508-693-5554.

Steam rose from many, many mugs of coffee on Saturday morning as the Martha’s Vineyard Book Festival began at the Harbor View Hotel in Edgartown. More than 30 authors attended the two-day festival, participating in readings and panel discussions at the Harbor View on Saturday and on the grounds of the Chilmark Community Center on Sunday.

The book festival has been held on the Vineyard every other summer since 2005, conceived and organized by Suellen Lazarus, a seasonal resident of Chilmark.