By Scott D. Johnston
For Grays Harbor News Group
Ocean Shores restaurant owner June Bongirno is the energetic driving force behind what’s shaping up to be a major live music event: the Superhero Music Fest.
“It took on a life of its own,” she says.
Starting Friday at the Ocean Shores Convention Center, over a dozen bands and solo artists will deliver at least 20 performances on two stages. The three-day event also will include the first appearance in Ocean Shores by any Rock ’n’ Roll Hall of Famer: two original members of the Seattle band Heart.
Bongirno, along with former Seattle Seahawks player Charlie McShane, owns and operates Double Barrel BBQ and the Waves of Bling Hawks merchandise store, both on Pt. Brown Avenue in Ocean Shores. She explained that last fall, after the Hawks Fan Fest promoters announced they were moving the annual August event to Birch Bay, Ocean Shores Mayor Crystal Dingler asked if the pair could put together a new version of Fan Fest for this summer.
They initially imagined an upgraded event featuring some current players, which meant they would have to pick a date before training camp started. The July 19-21 weekend was the only time available at the Convention Center that would work, so they booked it. But then they learned that booking just a few active players could cost $30,000 to $50,000 — and that didn’t begin to include star quarterback Russell Wilson, or any event production or promotion costs.
Bongirno still wanted to bring an event to town, but didn’t want that big a financial risk, so she began looking for other ideas.
She attended the Chocolate on the Beach Festival in Pacific Beach and Moclips in February, and they had had costumed superheroes walking around interacting with people. She thought that added a fun element to the festival.
Around the same time, city-run radio station KOSW-FM 91.3 told her they would like to do a summer concert series. They combined the concepts, and the Superhero Music Fest was born.
The superheroes are volunteers from the nonprofit Costumed Characters 4 Causes, a western Washington group that raises money for Camp Good Times — a camp for kids with cancer. Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Black Panther, Dr. Strange, Iron Man and several others will parade down Pt. Brown on Saturday at 11 a.m. and visit several local businesses for photos with fans.
When KOSW program manager “Papa” Butch Larson told Bongirno the lineup needed a tribute band, she called Terry Johnson — one of the Seahawks fans who created Fan Fest in Ocean Shores in 2015. “Within 20 minutes, he called back with Heart By Heart,” she said.
The Saturday night headliner isn’t just any tribute band; it’s led by Steve Fossen and Michael Derosier, the original bassist and drummer of Heart — the Seattle group fronted by Ann and Nancy Wilson, which was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2013. After 10 years and five platinum albums, Fossen and Derosier left the band in 1982. Now, they perform Heart’s music with lead vocalist Somar Macek.
Bongirno added Humptulips for country-rock fans, and local musician and sound man Alec Johansson brought in Puyallup metal masters Sin Circus, whose wild shows draw faithful fans from throughout the Northwest.
Humptulips will headline Friday night, and Sin Circus will be featured Saturday afternoon. Black Shepherd, Rich Travers & the Satsop River Outlaws, Jacob & Jake, Bill Seaman, Unexpected Soul, Blues Remedy, Eddie Valentine and Uptown Charlie Brown are all performing Friday and/or Saturday. Musicians from Aberdeen’s Garage Music & Arts Center will wrap up the event Sunday.
The Convention Center will have indoor and outdoor stages, a kids zone, two beer gardens and about 30 vendors, including Double Barrel BBQ’s own Grub Truck.
Bongirno said her lack of experience has been offset by the fact that “a lot of quality volunteers stepped up,” and “we feed off each other’s passion.”
A $20 wristband will allow patrons to come and go all weekend, and $5 from each wristband sale will go to several area nonprofits.
They are available online at www.eventbrite.com, at Double Barrel BBQ and Waves of Bling, and at the door. A limited number of VIP seats will be offered, as well as “side of the stage” seating.
More information is available on the Facebook event page, by emailing pme62@hotmail.com or by calling 360-581-4803.
Ocean Shores business owner and rookie concert promoter June Bongirno prepares for the Superhero Music Fest to be held Friday through Sunday at the Ocean Shores Convention Center. (Photo by Scott D. Johnston)
Kat Bryant | Grays Harbor News Group The Chocolate on the Beach Festival earlier this year featured these and many other costumed actors mingling with visitors, sparking the idea for Superhero Music Fest.
