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Music on the Rock 2022 brought reggae, rock, and local Vineyard bands to Vineyard Haven. A high-energy summer concert behind The Cove Golf and Grill.
"Music on the Rock" is the original name for what is now MV Soundfest, an annual outdoor music festival in Vineyard Haven that has run since 2014, founded by Phil daRosa.
Filmed May 2022The island moves on: shops, signs and prices may differ from what you see here. The text of this guide was checked September 2026.
Held at 386 State Road, Vineyard Haven, the outdoor space behind the island's mini golf course: for years The Cove Golf and Grill, reborn in summer 2026 as Steere the Course Mini Golf and Grille under new island ownership, with live music still part of the deal. Co-produced by Phil daRosa and Carter Hakala under MV Sound LLC.
A deliberate mix of genres: always a reggae headliner plus rock, soul, folk, and DJ/dance music. Past headliners include Barrington Levy (2025), Anthony B (2023), and The Itals (2022), plus local favorites like Willy Mason and Johnny Hoy and The Bluefish. The 2025 edition was the 5th year at The Cove. Tickets: ~$55/person, kids 12 and under free.
The island has a rich live music scene beyond Soundfest:
Music bingo at the Black Dog Cafe in Vineyard Haven, Fridays from 5 to 8, as the poster on the counter says.
Exploring the town? Start with our complete Vineyard Haven guide: food, beaches, parking and the local rhythm, all in one place.
Island tip of the day Food No. 19 of 86 New tip at midnight, island time
Espresso Love (17 Church St, Edgartown) opens at 7 AM daily. Excellent coffee, $5–12 for breakfast. One of the few places open early on the island.
Halloween on Martha's Vineyard 2026, town by town: Halloween in Oak Bluffs on Saturday, October 31, the museum's Halloween on the Hill, the West Tisbury and Vineyard Haven library events, haunted Edgartown walks and Circuit Arts' revue at the Grange, plus how the puppet parade and Happy Haunting ran in past years (2026 dates not announced yet).
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.
Columbus Day (Indigenous Peoples' Day) weekend on Martha's Vineyard: the last weekend of the seasonal island. The Artisans Fall Festival at the Grange Hall, the Derby weigh-ins, the last Ocean Park concert, what closes on the Monday (Island Queen, Seastreak, the Chappy gatehouses, the carousel), what stays open, the half-price rooms, and a Friday-to-Tuesday plan.
Labor Day weekend on Martha's Vineyard, hour by hour: the Artisans Festival at the Ag Hall, the jazz weekend in Oak Bluffs, First Friday, the last guarded swim in the year's warmest water, which ferries make their last sailings, how to survive the Monday exodus, and why staying to Tuesday is the best trick. 2026 and 2027 dates.
Memorial Day weekend on Martha's Vineyard, explained: the Friday March to the Sea at Owen Park, the Monday parade in Vineyard Haven, the Artisans Festival at the Grange Hall, the first Island Queen and Gay Head Light climbs, what is still closed, the prices, and a three-day plan for May 29 to 31, 2027.
Martha's Vineyard has two fireworks nights: Edgartown over the harbor at dusk on the Fourth of July and Oak Bluffs off Ocean Park on the third Friday of August (canceled in 2026, back in 2027). Where to stand for each, the street closures and blanket rules, the free bus, the ferry diversion and how to get home.
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