The readers of the Gazette will please bear with us this week for the lack of extended news of local affairs.
The 148th Grand Illumination is tonight at the Camp Ground in Oak Bluffs. At sundown, the gingerbread houses will glow with the light of thousands of lanterns, part of a summertime tradition dating to the 1860s. Events begin at 7:30 p.m.
Tonight gingerbread houses will be aglow once again for Grand Illumination Night, a cherished Camp Ground tradition for almost 150 years. The action gets underway at 7:30 p.m., and the first lantern is lit at dusk.
CJ Rivard compares Illumination Night to Christmas Day. The bright lights. The excitement. The tradition.
Life in the Martha’s Vineyard Camp Meeting Association (informally called the Camp Ground) is a unique experience, and never more so than on Illumination Night. Each August the event draws thousands of visitors, as residents adorn their cottages with lanterns in a tradition dating back to 1868.
Bases loaded, bottom of the ninth, two outs, one ball, two strikes. At this point, it could be anyone’s game. Little League bragging rights are on the line.
Brightly colored paper lanterns hanging from gingerbread houses were turned on in unision, and by 8:51 p.m. Wednesday the Camp Ground was aglow.
