"The special highlight of the summer season in the Campground is Grand Illumination Night, usually held on the third Wednesday in August. The cottages are adorned with colorful Chinese and Japanese lanterns, and both a Community Sing and a band concert are held in the Tabernacle."

This tradition started in Oak Bluffs over a century ago and was initially intended as a way of marking the visit of the Governor of Massachusetts. Island residents and visitors alike enjoy Grand Illumination each summer.