Spring is right around the corner, and that means the reopening of many seasonal businesses on Martha’s Vineyard.
Dairy Queen in Edgartown is one such locale. The annual reopening of Dairy Queen marks the unofficial beginning of the spring/summer season on Martha’s Vineyard, despite the lingering snow and chilly temperatures.
On Thursday March 16, Dairy Queen reopened to a wave of children (and some adults) anxiously lined up in 28 degree weather, ready for their favorite frozen treat. Even though it doesn’t feel like summer yet, they were eager to experience the taste of summer.
At 2 pm the door opened on a line of smiling faces, mostly high school students, and the crowd continued to ebb and flow for the remainder of the afternoon. Around 3 pm, students from the Edgartown school rushed over for a spot in line.
Paige Poge kept her order classic with a vanilla cone with sprinkles. She enjoyed her ice cream outside at the picnic table with her friend Daniel Ravard, who ordered an oreo blizzard. “It’s a little bit cold, but it was worth it,” Paige said.
After running nearly the whole way from the Edgartown school to Dairy Queen, Julia Murray had a big grin on her face when she grabbed her Oreo Blizzard from the counter. “We definitely earned this,” she said.
Dairy Queen co-owner Erika Bettencourt was behind the counter taking orders and barely had a moment to spare for a side conversation. She did share that they usually go through 75 gallons of ice cream on their opening day. What a way to start the season.
