Travel

JAWSFEST returns to Martha’s Vineyard

By Legacy User

  • Seven years after the first JAWSFEST celebrated the 30th anniversary of “Jaws,’’ the festival returns Aug. 9-12 to Martha’s Vineyard, where “Jaws’’ was filmed between May and October 1974. <br><br>In Aquinnah, Martha’s Vineyard, the remains of one of the boats used to portray the Orca in the movie rots on the shore of Menemsha Creek.

  • In a scene from “Jaws,’’ Matt Hooper (Richard Dreyfuss,right) and Police Chief Brody (Roy Scheider) are relieved when a tiger shark, believed to be the sea monster that has attacked bathers, is caught by bounty hunters. The Daniel Fisher House in Edgartown will host a replica of Jaws characters Quint, Hooper, and Brody on the bow of the Orca, as well as memorabilia from the film.

  • The festival coincides with the Blu-Ray release of the movie. There will be a special screening of the film at the festival, which is expected to draw more than 5,000 attendees to the island.

  • JAWSFEST will hold a series of panel discussions called “Living Jaws,’’ where those involved in the making of the film will speak about their experiences, as well as live reenactments of some scenes from the movie. Susan Sigel Goldsmith, organizer of the event, compared the fans’ devotion and fervor to that of Trekkies.

  • An island-wide trivia hunt based on the film will be taking place during JAWSFEST — and keep an eye out for “Welcome to Amity’’ signs.

  • This year also marks 25 years of Shark Week on the Discovery Channel. Shark experts will be present at JAWSFEST to spread awareness about and provide education on conservation efforts.

  • One of the shark models used during the filming of “Jaws’’ in Cow Bay on Martha’s Vineyard in 1974.

  • The On Time II ferries passengers to Edgartown from Chappaquiddick Island. When the “Jaws’’ crew was scouting locations for filming, Nantucket was being considered as a location — but ferries to Martha’s Vineyard were the only ones running in February, so it had the honor of being transformed into the town of Amity.

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