Harbor
Ocean Park
Circuit Avenue
Flying Horses (oldest carousel in the US)
I love all of Martha’s Vineyard but I find that most of my favorite places and favorite things to do are in Oak Bluffs. Maybe it’s my growing up there as a summer kid. Maybe it’s because it’s the most eclectic of the six towns on MV. Maybe it’s all of the above and more.
An editorial a year or so in the Vineyard Gazette asked “which town is the wealthiest on the Island?” It goes on to say that ” there are two varieties of affluence — the wealth that is concentrated in private coffers, and the wealth that enriches the public arena.” “The leaders of Oak Bluffs often complain that their town lacks such high-tax properties as the waterfront hotels of Edgartown and the vast estates of Chilmark, but instead is home to many of the Island’s public, nonprofit facilities — the regional high school, ice arena and hospital. To this list, we would add a public park system which is arguably the jewel of Oak Bluffs, unparalleled anywhere else on the Island, and also the national treasure of the Camp Ground. None of these things are great generators of tax revenues — but think how improverished the Island would be without any of them.”
Oak Bluffs hosts two of the summers biggest events… Illumination Night in the Camp Ground on Wednesday, August 14, 2013 and the Fireworks at Ocean Park held on Friday night, August 16, 2013.
You can take a flight of fancy on the Flying Horses the oldest platform carousel in the United States… shop along eclectic Circuit Ave… or eat in many of Oak Bluffs restaurants and cafes.
Oak Bluffs is a party town and yet a family town… it’s hectic and lively and yet quiet and serene. You certainly won’t find a more interesting town on Martha’s Vineyard then Oak Bluffs.
LINKS:
(Oak Bluffs Calendar of Events)
- by Joan -
Bank of Martha’s Vineyard
I think I was 2 and 1/2 the first time I went, I’m embarrassed to say that even with my annoyingly good memory, I don’t remember it. My first memory of Illumination Night involves wearing a particularly pretty dress so I’m thinking I was around three or four.
At 8 o’clock the Vineyard Haven Band would begin playing and the always fun community sing would start. Patriotic songs like, America The Beautiful, Yankee Doodle, Battle Hymn of the Republic are always stirring and emotional. It took me a couple of years to learn the words to all the songs and I still get messed up on a couple of the rounds like 
