It was a village-wide open house in Onset last Sunday, as 23 properties opened their doors to visitors for the Onset Bay Association (OBA) Inn, Hotel, and Home Tour. Organized by the OBA with assistance from Shell Pointe Realty and Kat Jones of Artisana, the goal of the free event was to showcase Onset and the association's ability to connect Real Estate agents, potential tenants, and properties for lease or for sale.  There was no scheduled agenda, just casual perusing among the properties - all within walking distance of the beach - which were identified by orange balloons.

"It gets people to know what we're doing and to see what's going on in Onset," said OBA President Mary Lou Payton.

It was a beautiful day to do so.  The beach was packed.  Onset Avenue was bustling. Even more amazingly, parking seemed to be available to visitors - whether Onset residents wanting to see inside their neighbor's homes, beachcombers escaping the sun, or  those trying to plan their next vacation.

"I'm just curious," admitted Onset resident Steve Ford.  "I walk around all the time and see the outside of these houses...I wanted a chance to see them inside."

It was the "kickoff to the season," for Wickets Inn, which proprieter David Wolfram estimated that had seen about 30 to 40 people after only an hour.  He and his wife Mary Lapinksi proudly showed off the newly renovated function room, which will open in two weeks for fine dining, as well as a variety of waterview rooms, some with private balconies.

"I think the area is going to do well this season as compared to last year," said Wolfram.  Lapinski said that the holiday weekends were already filled up, and the hotel was filled last Saturday night as well.

The inn impressed the Cassidy family who said they stopped by to check out the Inn's furnishings should they need room for "overflow" guests at their nearby home.

Even private homeowners were glad to open their properties to visitors, showing off new improvements and gardens.

"This is Onset, you have to be welcoming in Onset," said Gail Provost, of 8 West Central Avenue.

In fact, the day took an unexpected, albeit potentially successful, twist for Provost.  A school psychologist, she spends the summer vacation in Canada and was looking for tenants to fill the two weeks she has remaining to rent her house this summer.  She may have found the perfect match: the home's previous owners' granddaughter stopped by, reminisced about the good times spent in the house, and left with vacation plans brewing.