To celebrate the 50th anniversary of the movie “Jaws,” a great-grandson of the Universal Pictures co-founder asked Aquinnah to host a 10-day event in June 2025.
Mike Cochrane, the event’s organizer and a descendant of Universal founder Robert Cochrane, detailed the possible elements in a letter to Aquinnah reviewed at a board meeting on Wednesday.
The event would take place June 15-25 at Len Butler Memorial Park, near Gay Head Light and at the Vanderhoop Homestead site.
According to City Manager Jeffrey Madison, Cochrane also plans to temporarily reattach a sign that reads “Amity Island welcomes you” to Aquinnah Circle, as depicted in the film.
For the celebration, Cochrane is running to recruit the Boston Pops Orchestra, “Jaws” composer and conductor John Williams, and actor Richard Dreyfuss, who played oceanographer Matt Hooper in the film.
“I am in the process of retaining the Boston Pops with John Williams in residency, to perform there … I may also be able to get Richard Dreyfuss … to the Island for a few days for this event,” Cochrane wrote.
While officials expressed interest in the event, Madison felt that Aquinnah needed more information before she could commit. Madison and the board agreed that he would ask Cochrane to appear and provide further details.
“Personally, I don’t think he provided an adequate and in-depth description to back up what he presented. He talked about fees, but we couldn’t come to an agreement on that,” Madison said.
Madison added that Aquinnah deserves the attention the occasion could receive. “[Cochrane] doing the exhibit in the Cliffs, with the Boston Pops, would attract a capable number of other people [from] the island and off the island,” Madison “And that would put demands on our police and the highways, not to mention the department stores there, and how we can incorporate the continued use of businesses there. “
As stated in the letter, Cochrane would like to create a VIP segment on the Homestead site, where scheduled events would take place over the 10 days. “We are considering using Homestead’s assets as a use for the VIP segment where other people pay more. “”To be able to access these assets during scheduled nights during the 10-day access period,” it reads. “We will be setting up more tents and catering services so we can accommodate more guests. “
To finalize the June 26 transitional installation, Cochrane wrote that he would like the city to provide features for local businesses to contract for.
Cochrane would also like to come with an occasion to showcase his great-grandfather’s work, adding the hiring of Boris Karloff to play Frankenstein’s monster.
“This has a wonderful prospect of being something memorable for our community,” board president Tom Murphy said Wednesday. “It would behoove us to talk to an event organizer who does this kind of thing on a large scale, so that we understand all the ramifications of the traffic, service, sanitation and parking issues,” he said. he adds.
“It’s unlike anything we’ve noticed before, or anything that’s been asked for,” Madison said of the event.
Terrible idea to have such an event in Aquinnah. Keep all celebrations down island!
For what?
I would love to attend. We love the movie and the island. I also agree that these types of birthday parties should be held at the back of the island, where they are staying, among other important issues.
It would bring a lot of cash to this community, yes, they would have headaches, but if they make the right plans and have enough time to plan them, they will definitely have it. For the most part, the crowd will be made up of older people, which means you will have an intelligent organization of other people who will respect the community, possibly not a younger crowd going out to have fun, which would disturb the peace. Disorderly conduct, alcohol-induced violence, such as fighting, assaults, sexual assaults, etc. There’s going to be a much nicer crowd, that’s going to take place because it’s anything I’d like to attend, thank you, best of luck, maximum productivity wishes to the other people who are visiting. to make this happen ?
Wait. Did you make a movie here?
I hope they have that. That would be great! As a die-hard Jaws fan, that would be great.
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