Jaws 50th Anniversary: Martha’s Vineyard Embraces Its Shark Legacy

Martha’s Vineyard Marks Half a Century of ‘Jaws’ Mania

Most movie anniversaries pass with a few midnight screenings and maybe a commemorative T-shirt. But not on Martha’s Vineyard. Here, the 50th anniversary of Jaws is turning into a full-on summer spectacle, with the island proudly leaning into its legacy as the backdrop for one of Hollywood’s most thrilling classics.

The Martha’s Vineyard Museum opens the anchor event—Jaws at 50: A Deeper Dive—from May 24 through September 7, 2025. This is no dry collection of memorabilia. The exhibit puts you face-to-face with a full-sized replica of Bruce the Shark’s head and invites you to explore a scaled version of the Orca’s famous cabin, carefully recreated for visitors who still dream of Quint’s shanty storytelling (though viewing time will be limited, given the inevitable crowds).

Rare production photos, original storyboards, and dusty shooting scripts reveal the chaos and collaboration that turned Martha’s Vineyard into the fictional Amity Island. While the main event is nostalgia, this year’s program is about more than just memories. Partnering with the Atlantic White Shark Conservancy, the museum introduces interactive displays about great white sharks, their biology, and what’s actually happening off the Vineyard shores today. Shark fans and skeptics alike can engage with marine biologists on site, bringing a new angle to an old fear.

Locals, Legends, and A ‘Jaws’ Homecoming

It’s impossible to celebrate Jaws here without putting the spotlight on the locals—the fishermen, carpenters, and summer kids who ended up onscreen or building sets nearly five decades back. One entire section of the exhibition is dedicated to these residents, honoring how their patience, improvisation, and recognizable faces made Amity feel real. For many, this anniversary is a family homecoming, not just a fan event.

Between June 19 and 23, 2025, Martha’s Vineyard will host the Amity Homecoming Weekend. Think panel talks with film historians, storytelling sessions from actual cast and crew, and plenty of shark-themed snacks and souvenirs flooding the island. The real crowd-drawer is The Reunion, an open-air festival uniting diehard Jaws buffs, curious first-timers, and film alumni. Jeffrey Voorhees—immortalized by his run-in with the shark as little Alex Kintner—will be there, along with other surprise cast members.

This is all possible, of course, thanks to heavyweight sponsors. National Geographic and Discovery Channel’s Shark Week are both throwing their names behind the festivities. Coca-Cola’s in the mix, and Cape Cod Chips is serving hometown pride with extra crunch.

The feeling on the Vineyard is one of celebration, sure, but also of pride. For locals who watched “Bruce” malfunction on the beach or had their skiff borrowed by Spielberg himself, the movie is personal. This series of exhibitions and events shines a light on the ties that still bind this community to its most famous (and fearsome) celluloid visitor.