It began on Friday evening with an open-air screening of Jaws accompanied by the Cape Cod Symphony, and concluded on Sunday with a set by Phil Lesh and Friends that proved the spirit of Jerry Garcia lived on — at least for one night in Vineyard Haven.

Beach Road Weekend, the three-day music festival supported or damned in perhaps equal numbers over the last few months, turned out to be a success by many measures. Crowds built throughout the blue-sky August weekend at Veterans Memorial Park, culminating in a field full of fans for the closing acts on Sunday night.

Perhaps the biggest surprise was the lack of traffic in Vineyard Haven. The fleet of shuttle buses from remote locations and easy walking access to the ferries kept the roads mostly clear, even at the height of the festival.

The festival was produced by Adam Epstein of Innovations Arts, who also produces the Martha’s Vineyard Summer Concert Series.

Phil Lesh brought the Grateful Dead to life.

Jeanna Shepard

Phil Lesh brought the Grateful Dead to life.

Jeanna Shepard

On Friday night the Jaws faithful were treated to younger versions of friends and neighbors, including John Alley striding down the dock in his rainbow suspenders, the late Dr. Robert Nevin, as the Amity medical examiner, put his hand to his chin as countless patients had seen him do in their appointments, and the late Craig Kingsbury would have relished the millionth — billionth? — time his appearance yanked terrified screams from the audience as the death mask of fisherman Ben Gardner looms out of his shark-ravaged boat.

Nobody knew until after Jaws was released that the music, by John Williams, would join the three lead actors as one of the film’s greatest stars. On Friday, conductor Jung-Ho Pak, who is also artistic director of the Hyannis-based Cape Symphony, led his orchestra flawlessly through the score, working from a screen on his music stand that added a metronome and cues to the movie.

Throughout the evening, the cries from a family of ospreys nesting atop a pole in the park added something that would have been missing in the 1970s, when ospreys had not yet made their comeback on the Island.

The festival’s first full day of musical acts began on Saturday. Even though the crowd was initially sparse, the field filled up throughout the sun-baked afternoon. By the time the Dock Dance Band took the stage at 5 p.m. the place was buzzing.

“They usually don’t let us play in places like this,” lead singer Adam Petkus told the crowd. “We’re a little too rowdy.”

Feeling the moment.

Jeanna Shepard

Feeling the moment.

Jeanna Shepard

The band played nearly all original music to the mix of familiar and not-so-familiar faces in the crowd. It was like the Ritz had been moved three miles west and been placed in the middle of Vineyard Haven. One of those familiar faces was guitarist Delanie Pickering, who went on stage soon after with Johnny Hoy and the Bluefish.

“It’s awesome,” Ms. Pickering said, watching the Dock Dance Band. “I don’t really know the guys playing on the mainstage. But these guys are my friends.”

Some fans did know the next guy playing on the mainstage: Chad Urmston and his band Dispatch. Mr. Urmston, who is more often known by his solo-artist stage name, Chadwick Stokes, grew up spending summers on Martha’s Vineyard. When he played his song Flying Horses, based on the Flying Horses Carousel in Oak Bluffs, most of the audience sang along.

“The first time I played that song was over at the Wintertide Cafe at Five Corners during an open mic night in the late nineties,” he told the crowd. “I can’t believe that the place I used to come to play ultimate Frisbee is now a music festival.”

The band split its set into an acoustic first half and an electric second half. Midway through the electric section, they brought on Camp Jabberwocky drum-circle leader Hudson Bausman to help with percussion.

Festival began with a screening of Jaws with live accompaniment by the Cape Cod Symphony.

Maria Thibodeau

Festival began with a screening of Jaws with live accompaniment by the Cape Cod Symphony.

Maria Thibodeau

“What a dream come true playing on the Island like this,” Mr. Urmston said. “What a dream to play in front of John effing Fogerty.”

For most at the festival on Saturday, Fogerty was the main draw — including Mr. Urmston, who stood with a young child in each arm to watch the storied star play. Mr. Fogerty opened his set with Born on the Bayou, the same way he opened his set 50 years ago at Woodstock. Although he’s a little older now, he had the same haircut, the same rockabilly twang in the voice, and the same Rickenbacker guitar he used at Woodstock in 1969. The only difference is that now he has a son. And his son was playing guitar with him onstage.

“I’m so happy to be here on Martha’s Vineyard tonight,” Mr. Fogerty told the crowd. “Never been here before, and I’m hoping to come back.”

“Fogerty’s a legend,” Ted Kammerer said, who came to the festival from Rhode Island. “I had to cross that one off my list.”

The legends continued on Sunday, with the Deadheads in full form to see the Grateful Dead’s bassist, Phil Lesh, close out the festival.

John Fogerty headlined Saturday.

Ray Ewing

John Fogerty headlined Saturday.

Ray Ewing

Kate Ford, a therapist from Bedford was one of the many nostalgic concert-goers.

“I toured with the Dead when I was 15, it was amazing.” Ms. Ford said. “I can just feel our collective consciousness coming together right now. Wow.”

That consciousness had some help from numerous other bands on Sunday, including Galactic, led by vocalist Erica Falls. In jean shorts, a floor length blue kimono and a custom gold mic, Ms. Falls and her six-person band brought some Louisiana flavor to the Island.

Janice Coke, a receptionist at Martha’s Vineyard Hospital and also part of festival security staff, ranked Galactic as one of her weekend favorites.

“I really liked that guy last night, John,” she added. “And Dispatch. They both really kept the crowd moving. Didn’t let anyone sit down.”

Fan favorite Grace Potter followed on the main stage Sunday and immediately electrified the crowd.

From softball and soccer field to music festival.

Jeanna Shepard

From softball and soccer field to music festival.

Jeanna Shepard

“I feel like I’m 16 again up here,” Ms. Potter shouted from the stage. “I paid for my first album with money I made painting houses on the Vineyard.”

Ms. Potter has performed on the Vineyard numerous times and the connection between her and the crowd was strong.

“Think about what it feels like, it’s 11:34 p.m. out at Gay Head, or whatever they call it now. The moon is shining and it’s beautiful,” she said as she introduced her song Stars.

Phil Lesh and Friends closed out the weekend with an hour and a half set, short by Grateful Dead standards, but right on the mark for the festival closing time of 8:30 p.m. From front row to the fields beyond, the Dead faithful brought out their tie-dye and unique dance moves while the musicians proved on song after song that they were no tribute band.

And then it was over.

“Thank you for that, I look forward to coming back and playing for you guys,” Phil Lesh said from the stage when the music stopped. “This is a beautiful place.”

On the way home the Stewart family continued singing in the Vineyard Haven Post Office parking lot while also celebrating the fifth birthday for the youngest in their group, Ryder Stewart.

“He loves the Dead,” said Ryder’s father Ian Stewart. “In fact, he fell in love with them tonight.”

Ryder’s grandmother, Sue Stewart of Cleveland, Ohio and Oak Bluffs looked on.

“What a night, and what a great weekend,” she said. “Things like this. It’s why I love it here.”

More pictures.