“A light exists in spring not present on the year at any other period. When March is scarcely here” – Emily Dickinson. Springtime is about to burst. The days are growing longer, and the island is waking up. Stroll through one of the over 100 trails and beaches or check out one of the many exhibits at the MV Museum. Now is the perfect time to visit all the Vineyard quieter pleasures. Here are a few of our favorite things to do in March on Martha’s Vineyard!
Women and the Light – Cape Pogue Lighthouse – Sunday, March 7th & Sunday, March 21st from 12:00pm to 1:30pm - Trek the refuge’s winter landscape in a new light - from the perspective of the women who lived, worked and made home at the rural Cape Pogue Light. Celebrate women’s history month with an open-air, over-sand adventure and hear the often-untold stories of the wives, mothers and daughters, who helped tend the light. Please meet at the Mytoi Gatehouse by noon program start. No shuttle from Chappy Point. Multi-individual/family groups welcome; masks must be worn at all times. Advance ticket purchase required, limited capacity.
Winter Walk at Polly Hill Arboretum – Saturday, March 13th from 10:00am to 11:00am - In every season the Arboretum offers something of beauty and interest to visitors. At this time of year, plants display unique foliage color, textures, structure, cones and berries. Join PHA staff for a look at plants of interest in the fall and winter landscape. Tour sizes are limited to help prevent the spread of Covid-19 and allow for social distancing. Registration is required.
Winter Beach Safari on Chappy! – Saturday, March 13th from 12:00pm to 1:30pm - Explore the winter landscape of Chappaquiddick’s only wildlife refuge on this open-air, over-sand adventure. Trek the barrier beach and keep our eyes peeled for winter wildlife, if we’re lucky we may even spot a snowy owl. Please dress appropriately for the weather (think layers) and for walking on sand. Binoculars and cameras encouraged. Please meet at Mytoi Gatehouse by noon program start. No shuttle from Chappy Point. Multi-individual/family groups welcome; masks must be worn at all times. Advance ticket purchase required, limited capacity.
Spring Equinox Guided Walk – Friday, March 19th from 3:00-4:00pm - Take a guided walk along the trails and beachfront of Sengekontacket to look for early signs of spring as the winter season comes to a close. Enjoy and learn about the Sanctuary's early-blooming trees and shrubs.
SCIENCE ON SCREEN – CONTAGION with Guest Speaker DR. MARTHA NASON - Wednesday, March 24th at 7:30 pm - CONTAGION (2011) follows the rapid progress of a lethal airborne virus that kills within days. As the fast-moving epidemic grows, the worldwide medical community races to find a cure and control the panic that spreads faster than the virus itself. At the same time, ordinary people struggle to survive in a society coming apart. Starring Matt Damon, Kate Winslet, Laurence Fishburne, Marion Cotillard, Jude Law and Gwyneth Paltrow. From director Steven Soderbergh. Prior to the film, Dr. Martha Nason will give a presentation entitled “Performing Scientific research in a pandemic.”
Pay What you Wish Community Dining Experience at Slough Farm – Thursday, March 25th from 3:00pm to 4:00pm – Participate in a meal outside of the typical take-out or socially-distant dining experience. Assemble your own pay-what-you-wish multi-course meal at home. Through play and experimentation, both and will create a sense of closeness between guests while in their separate spaces. Reserve your multi course meal kit now and look forward to more information regarding the meal’s local ingredients and interactive elements.
Museum Exhibit: We Two – Portraits of Vineyard Couples – Tuesday-Saturday in March from 10:00am to 4:00pm - This exhibition features a selection of portraits of Martha’s Vineyard couples. It includes oil paintings of whaling captains and their wives and more recent photographic portraits of Islanders. The images, and the stories behind them, provide glimpses of individual Vineyarders’ lives, and of the many ways that two lives can intertwine.
Alpaca Walk & Talk – Daily in March from 11:00am to 11:30am - Walking with alpaca is a way to learn more about how gentle alpacas truly are. A wonderful experience for all ages. Every participant will learn the basics of handling an alpaca safely as well as where alpaca come from and why they are important to us. One can see how sweet and gentle they are by interacting with them, and literally get your hands on them to see how luxurious, and how soft their fleece is.
Visit Chappy’s Japanese-style garden at Mytoi – Daily. Nestled on the island outpost of Chappaquiddick, Mytoi (pronounced “my toy”) is an intimate Japanese-style garden flourishing with both native flora and exotic plants, offering visitors a destination for quiet contemplation. Sheltered by a lovely pine grove, the preserve includes a small pond and island—habitat for turtles, frogs, and goldfish—non-native and native flowers and plants, and a trail leading toward Poucha Pond and the salt marsh.
Explore the island on the TrailsMV app from Sheriffs Meadow – Open daily. View the interactive map at https://sheriffsmeadow.org/.