It’s March on Martha’s Vineyard and the official start to Spring is around the corner. March is a spectacular time to visit the island. Dress warmly and discover all the treasures left on the island’s shores. Enjoy the end of Winter and beginning of Spring with local music, Opera, Winter hikes and more! Here is our roundup of island-only activities to participate in this month:
- Winter Vacation Program at Felix Neck - Tuesday, March 1 - Friday, March 4 from 10:00am to 2:00pm - Join us for winter fun and exploration during your vacation week. We'll search for tracks and signs of Vineyard creatures and learn how different animals survive the winter season. Come for one day or all four. Registration is required.
- February Break 50% Off Admission at MV Museum - Saturday, February 26 through Sunday, March 6 from 10:00am – 4:00pm - Need a winter break? MV Museum is offering 50% off all admissions during the week of school vacation, February 26 to March 6! We've opened some new special exhibits that are sure to spark your curiosity and we're launching "Your Everyday Museum," a new exploration guide and scavenger hunt for families visiting the Museum. - Open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Tuesday through Sunday. We hope to see you there!
- Art Reception: Jack Ryan - Monday, March 7 from 4:00pm to 5:30pm - Join us for an art reception featuring the work of Jack Ryan. Mask required. This exhibit will be on display in the library's community room throughout the month of March. Born in Brooklyn, N.Y. in 1957, Jack has always admired the architecture of the city. He graduated from the High school of Art and Design in Manhattan and also attended Pratt Institute in Brooklyn where he studied under the tutelage of architectural illustrators Stanley Salzman and Albert Lorenz. Jack’s work has appeared in magazines and newspapers worldwide.
- St. Patrick's Day Corned Beef Workshop - Saturday, March 12 from 10:00am to 12:00pm - Curious what turns an ordinary brisket into corned beef? Join Chef Charles Grandquist for this workshop that covers it all – from selecting the right meat cut, creating a spice blend, an overview on brining, and the best cooking techniques. Participants will get hands-on and sit down to a casual meal at the end of the class to revel in the fruits of their labor, ie a delicious corned beef lunch with cabbage of course. No green required. Pre-registration is required for all Farm Institute cooking classes.
- Winter Walk at Polly Hill Arboretum - Saturday, March 12 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. Each tour will be led by a PHA staff member and will highlight winter interest plants that are particularly captivating each month. Tour sizes are limited. Registration is required.
- Heath Hen Day at Martha’s Vineyard Museum - Saturday, March 12 at 12:00pm - The beloved Island bird Booming Ben was last seen on March 11, 1932, marking the end of the heath hen’s living existence on Martha’s Vineyard and planet Earth. Stop by the Martha's Vineyard Museum to commemorate the 90th anniversary of the heath hen’s extinction with hands-on activities celebrating this unusual bird. Learn how you can help protect other endangered species from meeting the same fate. Felix Neck Wildlife Sanctuary will be joining us with a special display.
- Met Opera Live: Ariadne Aug Naxos - Saturday, March 12 at 12:55pm - The exhilarating soprano Lise Davidsen makes her Live in HD debut in one of her signature roles, the mythological Greek heroine of Strauss’s enchanting masterpiece. The outstanding cast for this March 12 transmission also features mezzo-soprano Isabel Leonard as the Composer of the opera-within-an-opera around which the plot revolves, with soprano Brenda Rae as the spirited Zerbinetta and tenor Brandon Jovanovich as Ariadne’s lover, the god Bacchus. Marek Janowski conducts. This live cinema transmission is part of the Met’s award-winning Live in HD series, bringing opera to movie theaters across the globe.
- Tuesdays in March from 6:30am to 7:30am - Virtual: Grab a Pencil Breakfast Club - A new FREE art happening: The Grab a Pencil Breakfast Club! Led by Elizabeth R. Whelan on Tuesday mornings from 6:30 to 7:30 a.m. through May 24. Get your day off to a good start by sketching around the globe with Elizabeth R. Whelan. Travel via Zoom and travel cams to a new location each week. It's just like plein air or travel sketching -- the weather will be changing, people will be moving, etc., so it's great practice for your own urban or travel art. This is't a class, just a chance to draw or paint together. Register at vhlibrary.org
- Screech & Hoot Full Moon Owl Prowl at Felix Neck Wildlife Sanctuary - Thursday, March 17 from 7:00pm to 8:00pm - Hoo's out there? Owls silently fly through our Island woods and fields. Join us at Felix Neck for a bright moon stroll to look, listen and learn about these nocturnal birds. Dress comfortably for the weather. Registration is on our website.
- Winter Beach Safari at Cape Pogue Wildlife Refuge - Saturday, March 19 from 12:00pm to 1:30pm - Explore the winter landscape of Chappaquiddick’s only wildlife refuge on this open-air, over-sand adventure. We’ll trek the barrier beach and keep our eyes peeled for winter wildlife; if we’re lucky we may even spot a snowy owl. Dress appropriately for the weather (think layers) and for walking on sand. Binoculars and cameras encouraged. Tour starts at Mytoi Garden parking lot (approximately 2.8 miles drive/walk/bike from Chappy Point). Parking and bike racks are free at Mytoi Garden. We are not offering pickups from the Chappy Ferry. Be prepared to leave yourself enough time to drive over on the Chappy Ferry. A Chappy Ferry cam is available on their website. Advance, pre-registration is required.
- Met Opera Live: Don Carlos - Saturday, March 26 at 12:55pm - For the first time in company history, the Met presents the original five-act French version of Verdi’s epic opera of doomed love among royalty, set against the backdrop of the Spanish Inquisition. Yannick Nézet-Séguin leads a world-beating cast of opera’s leading lights in this March 26 performance, including tenor Matthew Polenzani in the title role, soprano Sonya Yoncheva as Élisabeth de Valois, and mezzo-soprano Elina Garanca as Eboli. Bass Günther Groissböck and bass-baritone John Relyea are Philippe II and the Grand Inquisitor, and baritone Étienne Dupuis rounds out the all-star principal cast as Rodrigue. Verdi’s masterpiece receives a monumental new staging by David McVicar that marks his 11th Met production, placing him among the most prolific and popular directors in recent Met memory. This live cinema transmission is part of the Met’s award-winning Live in HD series, bringing opera to movie theaters across the globe.
- Live Music: Johnny + Delanie at Offshore Ale - Wednesdays in March from 6:30pm to 8:30pm - Enjoy live blues music performed by Johnny Hoy and Delanie Pickering.
- Open Painting Studio - Thursdays in March from 10:30am to 1:30pm - This non-instructional time is for those who wish to paint amongst a group - to network and share ideas and techniques. Bring your own supplies, we provide the space.
- Taco Tuesdays at Little House Cafe - Tuesdays in March from 4:00pm to 7:30pm - Join us for Taco Tuesday all winter long. Choose from shrimp, beef, chicken, fish, squash, tofu and pork belly, and of course guacamole too.