The spirit and the first candle of the Grand Illumination was carried by a 32-year-old sufferer of Huntington's Disease. With her father, Walter, and her niece, Kyla McCartney, nearby, Tammy Frye lit the first candle Wednesday night on the stage of the Tabernacle; within seconds lanterns throughout the Camp Ground were aglow.

It was the 133rd annual Grand Illumination, and thousands of well-wishers cheered the power and reach of a glowing candle.

Illumination Night is, for participants and followers, one of the cornerstone events of summer. The gala event takes a small village of small gingerbread houses and transforms it into a magical place. Music from the celebrated Vineyard Haven Town Band filled the Tabernacle avenues and the surrounding park with the music of many generations. There was a variety of music, including patriotic and dance numbers, all led by conductor Gary Zwicky.

The band stopped so that the well-regarded father and son, Raymond and Stefan Young, could again play the piano together as they have for so many years. With hands clapping, the audience kept up with the beat as the men's fingertips tapped the black and white keys.

Musical conductor Robert C. Cleasby, wearing red pants, white shirt and red, white and blue bow tie, swung his arms and the singing began. For half an hour, Mr. Cleasby led the assemblage through familiar songs: Home on the Range, Michael, Row the Boat Ashore and Amazing Grace. But the song that got everyone literally up off their seats was I'm in the Swiss Navy.

Mr. Cleasby also got the thousand singers in the open-air theatre to sing Happy Birthday to Amy and Megan DeLisle, who were celebrating their 19th birthday.

The Tabernacle looked great. A banner read: "Save America's Treasures."

The moment for which everyone was waiting came when Kevin A. Lyttle, president of the Martha's Vineyard Camp Meeting Association, said: "This evening we are honoring a very special young woman, a true ‘child of the Vineyard.' I believe that Tammy is the youngest person to light the first lantern at our Grand Illumination - and why not, it's her birthday today!"

Mr. Lyttle spoke about the young

lady's visits to the Vineyard, her relationship with her family and the special quality that the Vineyard and the Camp Ground has had in her life.

Her niece gave another introduction. Miss McCartney spoke of her affection for her aunt and the disabling disease: "She is unable to speak to you tonight, so it is my honor to speak for her. If she could talk, Tammy would tell you about her many wonderful memories of Martha's Vineyard and in particular, the Camp Ground. . . . As a teenager, Tammy was well known throughout the Camp Ground as a wonderful babysitter."

With friends and family nearby, the first candle of the Illumination Night was lit. The lights in the Tabernacle were turned off. The one lit lantern was walked outside of the Tabernacle and the evening of lights began.

There are no estimates of the number of people that celebrated the Grand Illumination. Bill McConnell, general manager of the association, said there were plenty of people. "It was one of the largest we have ever had. They were respectful, quiet," he said.

Every house in the circle around the Camp Ground was lit.

Bud Lord, 75, of Oak Bluffs and Rhode Island, was seated with his wife, Joyce, at one of the family homes on the Camp Ground; they've been married 54 years. He said it is hard to imagine a summer without an Illumination Night, which to him is as much a family holiday as Christmas and Thanksgiving.

"I came in the 1930s. My grandfather owned the house we live in now on Rural Circle. He was a great guy," said Mr. Lord. Seated near him was his first cousin, Loris White of Longmeadow. Mr. Lord and his wife were visiting with all the relatives at the house that overlooks the Tabernacle.

"My father, George, lit the first lantern in the 1970s," said Mr. Lord

"My mother, Elsie Rose, lit the first lantern more than 10 years ago," said Mrs. White.

Craig Prescott, 55, of Silver Spring, Md., sat nearby and offered his own perspective. He said his parents began bringing him to the Camp Ground when he was a few months old. "You scheduled your vacation around when Illumination Night took place," he said.

Mr. Prescott said he can look back on his memories of grandparents, parents and aunts and uncles by just looking around: "I can tell you right now where everyone sat on this porch. I can tell you what they wore, the chairs they sat in."

Illumination Night isn't just lanterns blowing about in a gentle, hot summer breeze, members of the family observed. The evening is tied up in family nostalgia and stories.

Mr. Cleasby said after the performance Wednesday night: "That was an electric and hot night. I was surprised how much energy people had, but then I shouldn't be surprised."

Mr. McConnell observed, "It was busy. We sold out of lanterns. We sold out of every lantern, from those costing 75 cents to ones costing $10."

"It was one of the largest crowds we've had," Mr. Lyttle said. "Everybody enjoyed the crowd last night. Everyone had a good time."