Islanders will have a say in selecting the first Martha’s Vineyard Poet Laureate.

Year-round poets must submit five poems of any genre, style or form. A jury of judges will read all submissions, and nominate five finalists. The winning five poets must be willing to participate in a public reading that will be videotaped and distributed on the Martha’s Vineyard Poetry Society’s Facebook page; MVTV; YouTube and through other Island media and agencies.

Permaculture Farm

The Native Earth Teaching Farm in Chilmark is about to embark on a permaculture project to build a self-sustaining food garden.

The idea is to establish an edible forest by mimicking the structure and function of natural ecosystems while producing perennial food crops and many other products. The community is invited to participate through a series of spring and fall planting parties.

For the eighth consecutive year, the Martha’s Vineyard Film Society is presenting the Manhattan Short Film Festival — where the audience gets to vote with the rest of the world on the selection of the winning film. Over two nights, tonight, Sept. 23, and Saturday, Sept. 24, both nights beginning at 7:30 p.m., the film society will screen the complete 120 minute program at the Katharine Cornell Theatre in Vineyard Haven.

Pumpkin Picking

It’s fall, yes, even officially and not just in the urge to get out the duvet on these chilly nights. This means Halloween is not far away. And if it’s Halloween, it’s time to start thinking of creating a bunch of little orange demons to welcome the would-be witches and skeletons to your doorway.

We’re talking about jack-o-lanterns here.

Sometimes an artist is so wonderful it takes two galleries to promote her.

Beginning next week on Thursday, Sept. 29, and running through Oct. 10, the Dragonfly Fine Arts Gallery and Shephard Fine ArtSpace will be holding a joint retrospective showing for artist Nancy Furino.

At 82 years of age, Ms. Furino has been living and painting on the Vineyard since she moved here in 1980. A Copley Master, she is noted for her colorful work depicting scenes from Martha’s Vineyard and around the world.

Terminal Illness Talk

On Tuesday, Sept. 27, at 7 p.m. Barbara Okun will be giving a talk entitled Helping Families Cope with Terminal Illness.

Dr. Okun is a counseling psychology professor at Northeastern University. She is also a clinical instructor at Harvard Medical School and has maintained a clinical psychotherapy/family therapy practice with diverse populations for over thirty years.