Popular searches:
September on MV: the Striped Bass Derby, restricted beaches open to everyone from September 16, prices drop 25-50%, and what gets easy that takes planning in summer.
September is a different island, and the month repeat visitors plan around. After Labor Day the crowds thin, prices drop, the restricted beaches open and clear, settled days are common. The ocean is still near its summer peak, the 81st Striped Bass Derby puts rods on every beach, and an international film festival fills Vineyard Haven's cinema. Car reservations come easier, too.
The poster for the 21st International Film Festival, September 8 to 13, on a wooden case. Opening night is Thursday the 10th at 5:30.
Table of contents [Show]
Menemsha harbor on a clear day. The Derby starts September 13, and the shore gets busy at dawn again, this time with people fishing.
It's one of America's oldest fishing tournaments, founded in 1946, and now draws 3,000+ anglers a year. Despite the name, striped bass has been excluded since 2020 under conservation rules. The species that count now are bluefish (min 22"), bonito (min 21"), and false albacore (min 25").
There are two categories (Shore and Boat) and two divisions (All Tackle $70, Fly Rod $70); juniors 9–14 pay $25. Weigh-in at Edgartown Junior Yacht Club, Dock Street, 8–10 AM and 7–9 PM daily. The Key Ceremony at Farm Neck Golf Club awards the grand prize, a custom Derby-edition Jeep Gladiator this year. The Derby has also given more than $1.1 million in scholarships since 1988.
Good spots: Wasque on Chappaquiddick (the famous rip), Lobsterville Beach in Aquinnah (top false albacore/fly fishing), Norton Point (4WD required), Menemsha Jetty. Daily weigh-ins are public and worth watching. The free Kid's Day is usually the 2nd Sunday, at the OB Ferry Wharf. A MA saltwater permit costs $10 (free at 60+). Our complete fishing guide has more, and the Derby visitor's guide covers the spectator's side (weigh-in times, shore spots to watch from, and what casual entry costs).
Big waves rolling in on an open sandy beach. The Atlantic holds its summer heat well into September.
Early September: about 71–73°F (matching late August). Mid-September: about 70–71°F. Late September: about 66–69°F. State Beach (Nantucket Sound) is usually among the warmest on the island.
Lifeguards leave all beaches after Labor Day, so swimming is at your own risk, and the South Beach rip currents are still dangerous. The body surfing can be very good, as the stronger winds bring steady 2–4 foot swells.
After September 15, the restricted beaches open. Lambert's Cove Beach and Lucy Vincent Beach drop their residents-only rules, so two of MV's best beaches are free to everyone. Shorebird closures at Norton Point and Cape Poge also typically lift.
For a fall trip
The Vineyard in the Fall, free
The Derby, the beaches that open to everyone and what closes when, date by date. Free with the island letter, together with our other three island guides.
One-click unsubscribe, and we never share your email.
Hotels usually come down from the August peak. Winnetu has run a 35% midweek suite discount from mid-September to mid-October in past years (its specials page still shows the 2024 dates), so ask before you book. The HI Hostel in West Tisbury is the budget option in season (its 2026 season ran May 15 to September 28).
Rentals run 25–50% below August: a 3BR averaging $5K–8K/week in August goes for $3K–5K in September. Last-minute openings are more and more common.
SSA vehicle fares drop September 15, when the weekend premium ends and the fare is a flat $127 one way every day (it was $168 Fri–Sun). That saves $82 on a weekend round trip. Walk-ons stay $11 flat.
Restaurant prices don't change, but the waits get shorter and walk-in tables are far easier to find.
A lot of people expect the island to shut down after Labor Day. Most restaurants stay open through mid-September, and in the first week after Labor Day nearly everything is still open.
Year-round: Black Dog Tavern, Offshore Ale, MV Museum, Stop and Shop, Cronig's. Open through September+: State Road, Red Cat Kitchen, Lookout Tavern, Atlantic Fish and Chop House, Back Door Donuts Temporarily closed Closed for the 2026 season; back in 2027, per its own site (usually into the fall, though in 2026 it has already closed for the season; back in 2027), and The Wave, the 2026 newcomer in the former Garde East space on the Vineyard Haven waterfront.
The Martha’s Vineyard Museum on its Vineyard Haven hilltop, open year-round.
Some places close earlier: Nancy's Temporarily closed Closed for the season; reopening May 2027, per its own site (OB), the Homeport (Menemsha) and Giordano's wind down in early-to-mid fall (exact dates vary by year). The Flying Horses Carousel goes to weekend hours after Labor Day and this fall the Vineyard Trust lists it open Saturdays and Sundays from 10 AM to 4 PM.
The nursery yard at Jardin Mahoney in mid-September: hydrangeas on the display table, pallets of bagged soil, the shop still open every day.
A stony shore below a sandy bluff, with wooden stairs coming down and calm water alongside.
Highs average 74°F (declining from about 78°F to 69°F through the month). Lows are around 58°F, and about 24 days reach 70°F or more.
The air is drier too: muggy days become much rarer by the end of September. Clear days are common, rain falls on about 9 days in an average September, and there's much less fog than in summer. June and July still get a little more sun each day.
September 10 is the peak of the Atlantic hurricane season. Hurricane Edna came ashore on the island in Sep 1954, and the remains of Ophelia dropped about 2.5" on Edgartown in Sep 2023, so the NOAA forecast is worth watching.
Layers work best for packing, with T-shirts for 70s days and a fleece or jacket for 50s evenings, plus a rain layer. Beach gear is still useful through mid-month, and water shoes help on cooler late-September swims.
A set under the stage lights, bass and acoustic guitars. September keeps a full calendar, from Tivoli Day to the Songwriters’ Festival and the farm events.
Tivoli Day on Circuit Avenue, September 19: a band under the tent and the first dancers out in the street.
Tivoli Day is an Oak Bluffs festival, but the notices go up all over the island: this one is taped to a gallery’s sandwich board in Vineyard Haven.
The vendor row on Tivoli Day: Art by Rocco’s prints in the middle tent, handmade jewelry on the left and pottery on the right.
Late August on a community bulletin board: the Derby poster, the Sengekontacket regatta and the season’s last Community Sing already point to September.
Vendor tents down the middle of Circuit Avenue for Tivoli Day, the shops open on both sides.
The SSA switches to its fall timetable (Sep 11–Oct 22) on September 11. Most boats land at Vineyard Haven, but Oak Bluffs keeps four round trips a day (Woods Hole departures 9:30 AM, 12:00 PM, 2:30 PM and 5:00 PM), so you can still sail directly into OB through October 22; what ends September 10 is the frequent summer service. Seastreak drops to 2 daily runs after Sep 7 (through Oct 12). The Island Queen runs a reduced fall schedule through Columbus Day (October 12), which is another way for foot passengers to arrive in Oak Bluffs. Hy-Line’s inter-island boat to Nantucket keeps going after Labor Day: three round trips a day through October 12 in 2026, then one midday round trip a day through October 18.
The easiest crossings are Tue–Thu, away from Labor Day weekend, and the first full week after Labor Day (Sep 8–11) is the sweet spot. The complete ferry guide has more, and our after-Labor-Day guide covers everything else that changes on the island after the holiday (closings, buses, hotel rates).
A tree-lined street with flags out, cars along the curb and a few people walking. After Labor Day the island is quieter and cheaper than in August.
Island population drops well below its summer peak of up to about 95,000. There's much less traffic than in July–August on roads with no traffic lights, parking is easier, walk-in tables are easy to find and the beaches are mostly empty. Lambert's Cove and Lucy Vincent, two of MV's most beautiful beaches, are open to everyone after September 15.
The September lineup on the board outside the MV Film Center: the 21st International Film Festival at the Film Center, September 8 to 13, and the two Strand Theatre nights from the Songwriters Festival on the 18th and 19th.
The free VTA bus runs its in-season schedule through October 3 (a few late-evening runs are already trimmed from late August). Biking is very good with less traffic, and the light turns gold.
Sep 8–12: everything is open, the crowds are gone and prices are falling. Derby weekend (Sep 13): the Derby opens. Sep 15: SSA rates drop, and the restricted beaches open right after. Late Sep: the deepest discounts, with more closures and cooler water.
More in the complete July guide, August guide, October guide, and getting around without a car.
Our complete fall guide covers the whole season, September through November: the deadlines, the Derby, scalloping and what stays open.
Book Martha's Vineyard Experiences
Explore guided island tours, sunset cruises, and day trips. Browse all tours →
If you book through this link we may earn a small commission, at no extra cost to you. It helps keep our guides free.
Yes. Early September runs about 71–73°F, matching late August, and mid-month holds about 70–71°F. State Beach on Nantucket Sound is the warmest on the island. Lifeguards leave every beach after Labor Day, so swimming is at your own risk and the South Beach rips are still real.
Lambert’s Cove and Lucy Vincent drop their residents-only rules after the summer season, so two of the island’s best beaches become free to everyone. Shorebird closures at Norton Point and Cape Poge also typically lift.
Hotel rates usually come down from the August peak, and rentals run 25–50% below. The Steamship Authority’s weekend car premium ends September 15, when the car fare drops to a flat $127 every day, saving $82 on a weekend round trip. Restaurant prices do not change, but the waits are much shorter.
The Martha’s Vineyard Striped Bass and Bluefish Derby, one of America’s oldest fishing tournaments, founded in 1946. The 81st runs September 13 to October 17, 2026, with free public weigh-ins on Dock Street in Edgartown from 8 to 10 in the morning and 7 to 9 at night. Striped bass have been excluded since 2020 for conservation; the current species are bluefish, bonito and false albacore.
No. Most restaurants stay open through mid-September, and the first week after Labor Day nearly everything is still running. The Vineyard Haven film festival fills the cinema early in the month.
4th of July Parade Edgartown, Martha's Vineyard 
Illumination Night Oak Bluffs 2022 Gingerbread Houses 
Martha’s Vineyard Songwriters Festival at Nomans 2025 Temporarily closed Closed for the season; back in 2027, per its own site 
Martha's Vineyard in December 2026: First Friday on December 4, Light Up Oak Bluffs on December 5, Christmas in Edgartown December 10 to 13, 4:15 sunsets, one ferry into Vineyard Haven, and what stays open through Christmas.
Halloween on Martha's Vineyard 2026, town by town: Edgartown's Happy Haunting on Sunday, October 25, Halloween in Oak Bluffs on Saturday, October 31, the museum's Halloween on the Hill, the library events, haunted Edgartown walks and Circuit Arts' revue at the Grange, plus how the Vineyard Haven puppet parade ran in past years (set for October 31 at 4 PM).
The Hamptons or Martha's Vineyard? A New York scene two to three hours away by Jitney or train, with ocean beaches behind a $750 season permit, against a six-town island reached by an hour's flight or a day's train and boat, where thirteen beaches are free to all, the bus is free and the nights are quiet. Getting there, beaches, beds, towns, nightlife, children and cost, honestly.
Newport or Martha's Vineyard? A drivable Gilded Age city with the Breakers ($32), the free 3.5-mile Cliff Walk, festival weekends at Fort Adams and a late harbor front, against a six-town island reached by an $11 ferry with twenty beaches, a free bus and quiet nights. Getting there, sights, beds, nights, children, weddings, and doing both from Rhode Island.
Block Island vs Martha's Vineyard, honestly: a 9-square-mile island with one village and a $12 year-round ferry from Point Judith against 90 square miles, six towns and an $11 boat from Woods Hole. Size, ferries (the car fare gap is huge), beds, beaches, the week versus the weekend, and which one fits your trip from Rhode Island.
New Year's Eve on Martha's Vineyard: the $150 dinner over the lit harbor, the two-seating table in Edgartown, live music at the Ritz, the family First Night at the Playhouse, where the lights are, what runs on the holiday (the ferry does, the reservation office does not), what is open on New Year's Day, and the empty January that begins the week you leave. 2026–2027 dates.
Island tip of the day Timing No. 61 of 79 New tip at midnight, island time
Visit Edgartown on a Tuesday or Wednesday. Same beautiful town, maybe 30% of the weekend crowds. Most restaurants have availability without reservations.
The free island library · 2026
Beach reports, events worth a day, ferry heads-ups. Sent when there is something worth telling. The Beach Guide, The Vineyard in the Fall, Where to Stay and What It Really Costs arrive with your welcome email.
Get the free guides
Island prices, hours and details change often. Please verify with businesses before you go. Full disclaimer
The island right now
4:55 AM island time
The free island library
Four guides to the whole island
The Beach Guide, The Vineyard in the Fall, Where to Stay and What It Really Costs. No spam, one-click unsubscribe.
