Grassroots group raises money for charities

Paying tribute to the iconic Woodstock Music And Arts Festival of 1969 and raising money for charities are Woodmere resident Allan Spielman’s goals for the inaugural Happyfest Music Festival at The Hub Billiard Club in Island Park July 30 to Aug. 2.

Spielman has been organizing what he calls Retrofest concerts for the past seven years, which are concerts that seek to recreate the music festival atmosphere of the late 1960s and early ‘70s. Retrofest has had 30 concerts and is an ongoing grassroots effort. “Happyfest is [Retrofest] on a larger scale, with four different acts on four different nights,” Spielman said. “A lot of us wanted to come closer to reproducing Woodstock so doing it multiple days gives it more of that feeling.”

Spielman began organizing the concerts due to his love for music of the 1960s. “I have an obsession with Woodstock, and I’ve been playing in a band for the past 20 years,” said Spielman, who is currently a member of the band Retro69. “I have always been very attracted to Woodstock and the music and spirit behind it.”

Spielman recruits the bands, and he plays a large role in the events. There is no permanent staff, but a pool of volunteers at different times, he said. “I am the music director, putting the schedule together and making sure the right equipment is there, then I have to start PR, getting out to the press and Facebook, trying to get volunteers to help out with flyers and raffles … then the night of the show I’m the stage manager to make sure everything is on time and goes smoothly,” Spielman said.

Retrofest concert proceeds are donated to charity. Money has been donated to the victims of Hurricane Katrina, CancerCare and the Hellen Keller Center. “Our favorite are children’s charities that help children who are sick or help research for illnesses; we also do a lot of animal shelters,” Spielman said. “Since we’re a grassroots organization, we want to make sure the money we raise makes a difference and is not just a drop in the bucket of administrative expenses.”

Happyfest proceeds are going to Toys for Tots, Pibbles N More Animal Rescue Inc, Long Island Crisis Center and Ovarian/Peritoneal Cancer Research.

In addition, unopened toys and pet supplies will also be collected at the event.

Happyfest public relations volunteer Lucille Morris, a former Long Beach resident who now lives in Port Jefferson, is battling ovarian peritoneal cancer, a rare cancer, so helping to raise money has a special significance to her. She said that although she is doing well now, “I have seen people in cases where they are suffering terribly with this disease; I really feel for the people who have horrible advanced stages … I want to raise awareness.”

Morris, a flutist, will also perform with the Bobby Blues Band on July 31 and Retro69 on Aug. 2. Other bands performing during this festival are Creedence County Rockers and Dragonfly, and bands will play the music of the Grateful Dead and Jimi Hendrix, among other artists.

There is a minimum $5 donation at the door, and Spielman is expecting about 150 people each night. He is hoping to raise about $10,000 in total with donations, raffles and sponsorships. Retrofest concerts had raised $45,610 as of May 2012, he said.

The Hub Billiard Club owner Brad Turner said that Spielman’s concept of trying to recreate a Woodstock-type festival is an excellent one that brings different age groups together. “The fact that he’s pulled so many acts together willing to jam and have some fun and donate their time to charity is great,” Turner said. “It helps expose us to an older crowd but there has also been a lot of interest from younger people just because if the iconic nature of Woodstock.”