Seasonal calendar
Seasonal calendar for cleaning a house on Martha's Vineyard
When houses on the island open, fill up and close, month by month. Each month carries a label and the reason for it, with a link to the source. Where we found no source, the month says general pattern.
The dates in the reasons are from the year the source covers. Check the current year before you plan around them.
The year at a glance
What the labels mean
- Busy
- The island is full. Cleaning companies are hardest to book.
- Shoulder
- Houses are opening or closing. Arrival and departure cleans cluster here.
- Quiet
- Most seasonal houses are closed. A good time to plan and book.
Arrival and departure peaks
- Arrivals: opening cleans fall in May and June, before the busy months start.
- Departures: closing cleans fall in September and October, after Labor Day.
- This is the general pattern the months below point to, not a count. Your own dates may differ.
Month by month
January
Quiet
Most seasonal houses stay closed. A good month to plan the year and book the spring opening.
General pattern
February
Quiet
Summer ferry reservations for the Woods Hole and Martha's Vineyard route opened on February 3, 2026, and many of the most in demand summer weekends were soon at or near capacity. Book the opening clean when you book the boat.
Source: Steamship Authority
March
Quiet
Houses are still mostly closed. Deep cleans and the inside of the windows are easier to schedule now.
General pattern
April
Quiet
Owners who arrive early start opening their houses toward the end of the month.
General pattern
May
Shoulder
The seasonal Oak Bluffs ferry terminal opened on May 15 in 2019. Opening cleans begin for owners who come for the early season.
Source: The Martha's Vineyard Times, Oak Bluffs Steamship terminal opens Wednesday (May 13, 2019)
June
Busy
Summer beach rules start: Squibnocket Beach needs a town permit from June 15, and Lambert's Cove is for residents from mid June. In 2019 the Oak Bluffs terminal moved to its longest hours on June 20. Arrival peak.
Source: Dukes County, The Martha's Vineyard Times, Oak Bluffs Steamship terminal opens Wednesday (May 13, 2019)
July
Busy
The summer peak. The Martha's Vineyard Commission's 2024 estimate puts the likely summer maximum at about 361 percent more than the year-round population. Between-stay cleans are hardest to book.
August
Busy
In 2026 the Agricultural Fair ran from August 13 to 16 and Grand Illumination in Oak Bluffs was on August 19. Speakers at the 2025 tourism conference said August 2025 saw an uptick in visitors.
Source: Vineyard Gazette, All roads lead to the fair once again (August 6, 2026), Martha's Vineyard Camp Meeting Association, Vineyard Gazette, Tourism conference looks at new and ongoing trends (October 7, 2025)
September
Shoulder
Summer beach rules end on Labor Day, and the Striped Bass and Bluefish Derby starts in September. Departure peak: closing cleans start for houses that empty after Labor Day.
Source: Dukes County, Martha's Vineyard Striped Bass and Bluefish Derby
October
Shoulder
The Derby runs into the middle of October (its 2026 final awards were set for October 18), and in 2019 the Oak Bluffs terminal closed for the season on October 23. The last closing cleans.
Source: Martha's Vineyard Striped Bass and Bluefish Derby, The Martha's Vineyard Times, Oak Bluffs Steamship terminal opens Wednesday (May 13, 2019)
November
Quiet
Most seasonal houses are closed. Some owners come back for Thanksgiving and need a clean before and after.
General pattern
December
Quiet
Christmas in Edgartown is a December event; it ran from December 12 to 14 in 2024. Book a clean before and after a holiday stay.
Source: The Martha's Vineyard Times, Edgartown town column (December 9, 2024)