[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 136 (Friday, August 16, 2019)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1059]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   IN RECOGNITION OF THE 150TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE GRAND ILLUMINATION 
                              CELEBRATION

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. WILLIAM R. KEATING

                            of massachusetts

                    in the house of representatives

                        Friday, August 16, 2019

  Mr. KEATING. Madam Speaker, I rise today in recognition of the 150th 
anniversary of the Grand Illumination celebration in Oak Bluffs, 
Massachusetts.
  Each year, since 1869, friends, family, and visitors to the island 
have gathered in the Oak Bluffs Campgrounds to share in this wonderful 
tradition. What started as an annual ceremony welcome the Governor of 
Massachusetts to Martha's Vineyard has become the vibrant and beloved 
celebration that we know today. Led by the Martha's Vineyard Camp 
Meeting Association, those who live in the beautiful Victorian cottages 
lining the campground, decorate their houses with scores of colorful 
lanterns. Many of the lanterns have been passed down from friends and 
families for generations, with some in use for over 100 years.
  As the Grand Illumination evening settles in, thousands of people 
come to the Oak Bluffs Campgrounds to observe the quiet beauty of the 
dancing lights before them. Neighbors and strangers alike share a 
serene and spiritual moment of reflection and contemplation as the 
Grand Illumination ignites the dark night. For 150 years, the people of 
Oak Bluffs have set an example of togetherness and community for others 
around the country, setting aside any differences in a show of unity--
especially in challenging times when our nation has been in need of 
unity.
  Madam Speaker, on this milestone 150th anniversary of the Grand 
Illumination, I am proud to honor the Martha's Vineyard Camp Meeting 
Association and the people of Oak Bluffs for their dedication to unity 
and tradition in the community. I ask that my colleagues join me in 
thanking those who have organized the event, the Martha's Vineyard Camp 
Meeting Association and all those who have helped to make it happen. I 
wish them all the best in the many years to come.

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