Hoodstock's fifth year was its biggest yet

Event had more than 110 passenger boats

Kirk Boxleitner | Sep 15, 20220

Hoodstock cofounders Kelli Kohout and Shannon Crabb-Stanton are thrilled to take stock of the fifth year of the program they kicked off, which returned to Hood Canal in Union on Aug. 20.

They agreed this year’s event exceeded their expectations. Kohout and Crabb-Stanton said support from concert-goers and event sponsors helped make 2022 the “biggest year yet” for Hoodstock.

Among this summer’s crop of community partners, the Alderbrook Resort and Spa distinguished themselves, Kohout said, by contributing the Lady Alderbrook, which scheduled three sailings for Hoodstock spectators.

Kohout also praised Union Country Store and the new owners of the Summertide Resort and Marina in Tahuya, plus 2 Margaritas Restaurant.

“Downtown Union was really lively that day,” said Kohout, who praised Crabb-Stanton for helping stage the acts, which included the Ethan Tucker Band of Olympia, Joel Gibson Jr., “who’s blowing up in Kitsap right now,” and The Dusty 45s of Seattle, “who were a huge hit here.”

Crabb-Stanton, in turn, praised her sound man, Jackson Linder, and several of her favorite performers that weekend, including the Kitsap County-based Hippy and the Squids, the Olympia-originated DnA band, musicians Scott Lesman and Chris Eakes of Union, and the Tyee Vagabonds.

“I can’t thank them all enough,” Crabb-Stanton said. “The Dusty 45s were super-professional, but all the bands just seemed so genuinely grateful to play in such a unique setting. They expressed their appreciation for how well we were able to showcase their performances.”

Crabb-Stanton said she particularly enjoyed the Skokomish Nation welcome and blessing, offered by Delbert Miller and his daughter, and Cailley Robinson’s tribute to Western Washington artist Orré Nobles.

“I hope we’re lucky enough that we can get Delbert Miller every year from now on,” said Crabb-Stanton, as she and Kohout agreed that an even more valuable addition to this year’s Hoodstock was the return of Megan Maes to the event, working with the Union City Market to coordinate the 2022 crop of vendors.

“It was great to have Megan and her vendors back,” Crabb-Stanton said.

Hoodstock again drew floats, paddleboards, sailboards, kayaks and canoes, but Kohout noted that even when those attendance numbers are reduced to larger vessels alone, Hoodstock 2022 logged more than 110 multipassenger boats from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. that Saturday, The boats flew the event’s attendance flags at a cost of $75 each.

“People came out in droves for this event,” Kohout said. “What we hear from this community, louder each year, is that they want Hoodstock to come back next year. And the word we got from our sponsors this year is that we need to bring it back bigger next year.”

One expansion of Hoodstock’s name-brand this year was the debut of a Hoodstock beer, produced by the Potlatch Brewing Co. of Hoodsport. Kohout said brewery co-owners Cody and Rachel Morris came up with a summer brew that was “so delicious.”

Cody Morris, the brewmaster and founder of Potlatch Brewing, decided to team up with Hoodstock “as our scale allows us to do small runs of special beers. We hope to team up with other local organizations down the road, as a can of beer is a novel form of promotion.”

While the proceeds of this year’s Hoodstock are still being tallied, Kohout identified the 2022 beneficiaries of the event’s fundraising as the Hood Canal Salmon Enhancement Group and the Humane Society of Mason County.