Brandon ‘Memo’ Kluz catches air doing what he loved best: skateboarding. A music, crafts and food fesival hosted by the Memo Foundation will take place on Aug. 21.

MILFORD – The Memo Foundation, named in honor of the late Brandon “Memo” Kluz, will host a music, artisan crafts and food festival on Aug. 21 at Keyes Memorial Field, 127 Elm St., from 11 a.m. – 8 p.m. Tickets are $10 per person or $40 per family.

A skatepark bearing his name has been built at Keyes, after the Memo Foundation raised funds to build it. To date, the foundation has raised more than $106K and the skate “bowl” was featured on “New Hampshire Chronicle.”

Brandon’s mother, Monica Kluz, said putting the pieces together to create the one-day event was no small undertaking.

“There’s a lot going on,” she remarked. “I approached some folks earlier in the year about doing something like this, probably in February or March. I enlisted the help of Rachel Barnard. She initially came to me with this idea.”

Kluz was excited at the prospect of hosting such an event. She gathered with the town of Milford and the powers that be, who agreed that the festival would be a great idea and a special way to memorialize Brandon.

“And then we had COVID,” Kluz said. “Rachel had a lot going on and I reconnected with her. I asked her, ‘Do you think that we could still do something like this?’ And Rachel said, ‘Absolutely.'”

Barnard then recruited her friend, Hippy Hollow of Wilton’s Kate Schimke, and Kluz brought in the Pumpkin Festival’s Zoe Lantaff and Wade Campbell.

“Because Kate and Rachel are so prominent in their field of putting on events, it got to be too big for me,” Kluz said. “They were reaching out to friends in the Boston area and it just got to be more than I could do. For the first event, I wanted something more intimate, something more in line with Brandon’s friends, and that’s where Zoe and Wade came in, because they do the Pumpkin Fest, which is community-oriented with local musicians and performers.”

Kluz said she appreciates Barnard and Schimke’s help in getting the ball rolling.

“They’ve been so wonderful in passing along information and sharing their expertise and suggestions,” Kluz said. “I don’t want to overlook that. They’ve both been wonderful.”

With the festival operating on a smaller scale, but still large at any level, Kluz said she is still hoping that many area residents will turn out on Aug. 21.

“We don’t have these bands who didn’t know Brandon,” Kluz said. “Out of the seven acts performing that day, five of them were friends of Brandon, which makes it even more special. That’s where I wanted it.”

The band Dezent, featuring Mariah Delage is one of the acts performing. According to Kluz, Delage was set to sing at Brandon’s Celebrations of Life, but Delage lost her boyfriend on that same date.

“She couldn’t do it,” Kluz said. “So, every chance I get to support Mariah, I will. She was on the Idol in Keene and won it.

She’s an incredible talent and was my first pick.”

Dezent will perform along with area bands Up Chuck Creek and Kings of None. Musician Will Melanson is in all three bands and those band members were friends of Brandon’s.

“They are all part of what Adam Bosse promotes,” Kluz said. “Macy Rae will perform as well. She is the girlfriend of tattoo artist and professional graffitist Eric Escobar and she’ll perform alongside Jack Maloney.”

Once the musical line-up was completed, Kluz turned her attention and energies towards craftspeople and food vendors.

“We had to figure out the time that we had and the number of performers we could fit,” she said. “We wanted them to have enough time to showcase their talents and not just 15 minutes each.”

That was left up to soundman extraordinaire Cooper Leafe, who is contributing his time and talent to the event.

“He’s donating his talent and he’s very well known, especially with the Pumpkin Fest,” Kluz said. “And he knew Brandon.”

The only band coming from out of town is One Fine Mess. And the first band that reached out to Kluz, offering their time, was Stone Hill Station.

“They saw the flyer on Facebook and wanted to be part of the event,” Kluz shared. “Curt Simpson reached out to me via email, and I went to listen to their music on Facebook. It’s great acoustic and very folksy. I really wanted to showcase many different genres with the music acts that we have performing. I think we have a great line-up. We just need a nice sunny day.”

Schemke helped pave the way as Kluz began gathering artists’ names for the event. Kluz put the word out on Facebook and took on the role of recruiting the artists.

“I didn’t want to turn anyone away,” Kluz said. “I wanted them to be able to show and we’re not charging a fee for them to have a booth. All we’re asking for in return is for them to donate an item to the silent auction. The money generated from the silent auction will go to the Memo Foundation.”

Brandon’s friend Derek Mossey will also be hosting a Skate Jam at the skatepark from 5 p.m. – 8 p.m. There will be giveaways, prizes and games.

Kluz said there are more improvements that she’d like to see for the skatepark, including “street” features, shade features and some lighting.

“There is nowhere or way to take shelter from the hot sun during the summer months,” she said. “I’d like for there to be some shade for parents and grandparents who take their kids to the skatepark.”

As for how welcoming the town of Milford has been with regard to Kluz’s skatepark vision, she said she is overwhelmed.

“I get goosebumps,” she said. “I’m getting them right now. It’s been phenomenal. It’s going on two-and-a-half years, and this is a new one to us. Brandon loved going to music festivals. He loved art and a lot of the artisans at the event are his friends. They’re just so varied with different talents and interests and it’s so great to be able to bring them all together.”

The food vendors for the music fest were also somewhat of a challenge, because as businesses began to open up, many vendors were booked already.

“We worked hard to get diverse foods so there is no repetition,” Kluz said. “There is not two of anything. And we only charged the vendors a minimum of $100 to come and participate. Any money they make that day as food vendors is theirs’ to keep.”

R&J Texas Style BBQ will be vending at the event. They’re located on Elm Street in Milford

“They were the first to want to come on board,” Kluz said. “And of course, the Lions. They’re always there when we need them. And Sunday Drive came to me because I had another vendor who wasn’t able to make it. Totally Thai came from Peterborough. But it took a lot of reaching out.”

Sponsorships for the event include Monadnock Tent, where Brandon once worked. Kluz said owner John Hopkins donated the stage, tent over the stage and picnic tables. Woodman’s Florist is providing flowers and Station 101 on the oval is donating $1 for the Memo Foundation for every beer sold on Aug. 21. And Granite Town Festivities donated $600 to the Memo Fund to help with costs for the event.

“Like I said, after two-and-a-half years, people are still willing to get involved,” Kluz said. “There’s only good things coming out of this and praise for the park that you hear. It fuels our momentum to want to do more. And if we can, we want to.”

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