Is it fall yet?

“Oh, my God,” I say to myself, as a man on a blue bike swerves off the curb into the road, a horde of about 80,000 people cross the street — nowhere near the crosswalk — and the driver of the silver Mercedes in front of me slams on their brakes for the fifth time and comes to a dead stop. 

My frustration isn’t that the driver of the Mercedes, with out-of-state plates, is probably lost and trying to find a store that sells infused olive oil; it’s that they have decided to turn left without letting anyone in on their plan. (I’m convinced that blinkers have recently been added to the endangered species list, but that’s a conversation for another time.) 

Traffic is backed up from the Scottish Bakehouse through Five Corners. “Breathe,” I say, “breathe.”

It’s August on the Vineyard. 

During high season, being on the Island could make the Buddha scream with frustration. And it can be especially taxing working at a newspaper. So many emails to answer, events, profiles, art shows, movie and book reviews, sad stories, funny stories, beautiful stories, crazy stories, gorgeous photographs, music concerts, stunning artwork, and news to cover, so little time. By August, many of us at The Times are so exhausted, we consider it a win when we remember to put clothes on before leaving the house.

Vineyard summers are filled with an array of interesting and fun events, challenging moments, and at times bizarre incidents. This summer, Alan Dershowitz got into it with a pierogi vendor at the Farmers Market, twice (and counting); a young man took out a line of rental cars while driving more than 60 mph through Five Corners; we found two abandoned pairs of women’s underwear lying by the front door of the MV Times building (if they’re yours, we threw them out); and someone drove their car into an art gallery, which seems like an overly dramatic way to enter. And this is just the tip of the iceberg. 

But as I bang my head against the steering wheel, and then watch a truck almost wreck a kid on an electric scooter, I remind myself that summer on the Island is also freaking amazing. We have 19 beaches. Nineteen! We have: views to die for; a sky that is awash in a golden-pink hue that cannot be replicated no matter how talented a painter or photographer you are; an arts, theater, and music scene that rivals many large cities; outdoor activities like biking, boating, and hiking; a rich history; cinema; horseback riding; more than 15 farms; biplane rides; a unique geological landscape that includes cliffs, sand plains, and marshland; festivals; yoga with goats; outstanding restaurants and food trucks; gift shops; book stores … and so much more.  

As they do every summer, Islanders ran their businesses, or performed at their jobs, with grace. And this is no easy task, since our population swells from 20,000 to nearly 100,000. But the Vineyard isn’t your typical island. Hard-working, smart, and talented year-rounders walk alongside summer visitors, movie stars and directors, A-level artists, political leaders, intellectuals, legendary performers, TV and radio broadcasters, infamous writers, and notable comedians. 

This summer we celebrated the 50th anniversary of the movie “Jaws,” which, for anyone raised by wolves or under the age of 20, was shot on the Island in the summer of 1974. A variety of “Jaws”-related events brought in legions of fans from across the world, like David Hall from Derby, England, who proudly displayed his Orca, crusty Captain Quint, and big bad Bruce tattoos, while enjoying the Martha’s Vineyard Museum’s exhibit “Jaws at 50: A Deeper Dive.” 

Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson was present at the Martha’s Vineyard African American Book Festival, where she discussed her memoir, “Lovely One,” with 200 cheering attendees. On the same day, Michelle Obama closed out the Martha’s Vineyard African American Film Festival by hosting a live taping of her “IMO” podcast with her brother Craig Robinson and actor Natasha Rothwell. Spike Lee also previewed his new film, “Highest 2 Lowest,” to close out opening night, and participated in a “Color of Conversation” at the event. 

Seth Meyers hosted the 47th annual Possible Dreams fundraiser for Martha’s Vineyard Community Services, and took to the microphone, along with Amy Schumer, to help raise funds for the Chilmark Preschool project. King of satire David Sedaris shared some of his laugh-out-loud essays at the renowned Tabernacle. The Martha’s Vineyard Sound Festival brought in internationally known reggae icon Barrington Levy, as well as beloved Island musicians Sarah Shaw Dawson, Rose Guerin, and Willy Mason. 

The annual Islanders Write event, an MV Times initiative, offered community writing classes and panel discussions with writers such as Pulitzer prizewinning author Geraldine Brooks and Grammy awardwinning musician John Forté. The Pride Parade in Oak Bluffs was a big hit, as were the sold-out Drag Brunch shows at the Red Cat Kitchen. The guided walking tour, “Aquinnah Wampanoag History in Perspective,” immersed participants in the history of the first peoples of Noepe (Martha’s Vineyard). 

The beloved Agricultural Fair celebrated its 163rd year, and brought in herds of people. And animals. There was so much to see and experience: carnival rides, youth cattle shows, ox pulls, delicious food vendors, live music, kids’ activities, a dog show, sheep-shearing demos, animal meet-and-greets, fiber arts, the barn and hall filled with art, photography, woodworking, quilts, baked goods, and more. Oh, and I’d be remiss not to mention the rubber chicken toss, the chopstick knitting competition, woodsmen (and women) competition, kids’ corn-husking competition, and my favorite — the women’s skillet toss. Never anger a woman when she is holding a skillet. 

Whew. It leaves one breathless. Still, I managed to remember to put clothes on before leaving the house, and despite the craziness of trying to attend and cover the oodles of amazing events, car crashes, traffic jams, and Cronig’s running out of dolmades every week, it’s been a pretty badass summer. Oh, my God! The silver Mercedes has finally made the turn, and traffic is moving! Hallelujah. Is it fall yet?