Street Fair Draws Thousands to Tisbury

By BEN LURIE

Put off a day due to the torrential rain, the town of Vineyard Haven staged its birthday celebration with the usual overabundance of food, drink an

Like most Island cocktail parties, the Tisbury Street Fair was slow to start. An hour into the annual town celebration though, and it was standing room only.

Johnny Hoy and the Bluefish rocked through the evening. Youngsters danced in the middle of the street in front of the band. Many of the Island's nonprofit organizations sold T-shirts, raffle tickets and plenty of food on the sidewalks.

Tisbury Street Fair Draws Thousands

Festivities Celebrate All Things Vineyard in July Highlight

By JOSHUA SABATINI

A stroller entering the 31st annual Tisbury Street Fair was overwhelmed from every direction by the sounds of music, the wafting scents of foods - from raw oysters to crispy fried chicken - and the sights of wares pushed by shop owners, educational displays, glow sticks, balloons and painted faces.

By 4:30 p.m. Sunday, the cars that usually line Main street and Union street in Vineyard Haven were gone. One hundred and twenty-five booths lined the two streets instead, and by 6:30 p.m., with the official start of the Tisbury Street Fair, waves of people filled downtown.

Entering the street fair from any direction revealed a scene of excitement and smiles.