While a certain Chicago politician comes ashore in a little over a week, an ambassador from that other great Chicago institution, its jazz scene, will have already made landfall; the legendary Ramsey Lewis performs at the Martha’s Vineyard Performing Arts Center this Sunday.

Mr. Lewis has just finished composing Colors: the Ecology of Oneness, a piece commissioned for a performance in Tokyo in September. He says he may test some of the new material on his audience at Oak Bluffs.

It all started with the drive failure on one of the Volvo engines on Dovekie, my husband Flip Harrington’s boat. We found the best place to take it for repairs was East Edgecomb, Maine. Luckily, we were able to get a ferry off-Island on Thursday but were unable to book a return until Monday! Welcome to Vineyard summer. Instead of wringing our hands and moaning, we decided to make a trip out of the delivery.

There is no reason to be depressed when St. John’s wort is around.

Though physicians and herbalists will disagree as to the oft-stated benefits of treating depression with this plant, I prefer to avoid the debate. The conflict will surely make me sad. I would rather keep my spirits high with this herb.

Most Vineyard visitors believe they have seen the Gingerbread cottages after they have walked through Trinity Park and around the Tabernacle. However, the Camp Ground consists of 315 cottages spread across 34 acres.

Literature at Lighthouse

A special evening program called Ships and Sailors, with a tour of the Edgartown Lighthouse, music, and grog and hardtack for the little ones, will take place at the lighthouse on Friday, August 13, from 6 to 8 p.m.

All About Wampum

Archaeologist and educator Dr. Jim Bradley will discuss the Native American money system in a talk called Visiting Wampum: Dutch Archaeology in Albany and Environs, on Thursday, August 12 at 5:30 p.m. as part of the Martha’s Vineyard Museum’s archaeology lecture series.

Dr. Bradley’s lecture will explore what wampum is, where it came from, and the many roles it played in the lives of native peoples and the Europeans during the 17th century.

For more than 25 years a nonprofit group on the Vineyard has worked creatively to help keep personal disputes from building into court cases that burden the judicial system and often cost the people in conflict more than they win when the court makes a ruling.

Columbia University professor and former provost Jonathan Cole will discuss The Great American University: Its Rise to Preeminence, Its Indispensable National Role and Why It Must Be Protected, on Thursday, August 12, at 8 p.m. at Chilmark Community Center

Built on Stilts, the Vineyard’s homegrown dance festival, opens on Thursday, August 12, at Union Chapel in Oak Bluffs and continues through Sunday and again the following weekend, August 21 to 23.

Each night’s program begins with drumming at 7:30 p.m. (all acoustic musicians are invited to join in) and dance performances at 8. The program is different each night.

As ever, the shows are free to the public, and audiences many come and go as they please. Donations at the door are strongly encouraged. No reservations necessary.

Fine Art, Music, Wine, Cheese . . .

What could be finer than the August Art Gallery Stroll around Edgartown, taking place this Thursday evening? Harbor breezes will carry the music of the Mike Benjamin Band from the Eisenhauer Gallery porch, while inside the exhibit includes the Michel Brosseau work pictured above.