50 years after Jaws shocked moviegoers in theaters nationwide, fans will be returning to the very place where it was filmed for a mᴀssive celebration. The 1975 Steven Spielberg classic was set on Amity Island, a fictional location original to the Jaws movie franchise. The “real” Amity Island was actually Martha’s Vineyard, an island in Mᴀssachusetts.
Due to its history as the place where the Amity Island set was created, the Edgartown Board of Trade on Martha’s Vineyard will host a celebration of Jaws’ upcoming 50th anniversary [via amityweek.org]. Referred to as “Amity Week,” it will begin on June 20, exactly 50 years after Jaws theatrical release. Through various events tied both to the filming of the movie on Martha’s Vineyard and the world of Jaws itself, Amity Week will offer ten days of activities to help fans celebrate both Jaws and its connection to the area.
What This Means For Jaws’ 50th Anniversary
As A 10-Day Event, Amity Week Promises A Long And Busy Celebration Of Steven Spielberg’s Beloved Film
The Edgartown Board of Trade’s schedule for Amity Week provides a packed schedule of Jaws-related events that will run between June 20 and June 29. Among them is a baseball game, which references the behind-the-scenes stories of the Jaws’ cast and crew members playing baseball between scenes. There will also be a meet-and-greet with people involved with the franchise, including Jeffrey Voorhees, who memorably played Alex Kirtner, one of the тιтular shark’s victims in the 1975 film.
Martha’s Vineyard has hosted celebrations of Jaws in the past, such as as the 30th anniversary event in 2005, Jawsfest.
Also on the schedule is an outdoor screening of Jaws and the premiere of a new documentary about the making of the movie and its status as a cinematic icon, Jaws @ 50: The Definitive Inside Story. Plus, there will be an appearance by Charlie Blair, the local, retired harbormaster who will discuss his experiences on the set, the dangers of filming in the ocean, and Jaws’ mechanical shark “Bruce.“
Our Take On Jaws’ 50th Anniversary
Martha’s Vineyard Is A Fitting Place To Celebrate This Huge Milestone
The effort and time that’s going into the upcoming celebration on Martha’s Vineyard speaks not only to the island’s significance to Jaws’ legacy, but also the deep and lasting cultural impact that the film has enjoyed over the years. The amount of tourism Jaws and Amity Island has sparked for Martha’s Vineyard every year is evidence of that, as is the influence it’s had on people in general. Great white sharks have always been feared, of course, but the level of menace it brought to the animal in Jaws furthered their infamous reputation. And now 50 years, Jaws is continuing to be celebrated, arguably at the most fitting location imaginable.
