MANCHESTER, NH – This year’s Mag-a-Palooza is a special one. It marks the fifth year in a row that the community has come together to remember the life and times of one Maggie Philbrook, a spirited young lady who marched to her own drummer and lived her life to its fullest – until it was cut short by cancer at the age of 13.
Five years later, and the world has continued to turn for the Philbrooks, although it will always feel off-kilter without Maggie’s spunky spirit leading the charge, as the oldest of three siblings and the inquisitive sweet soul who cared so much about making the world a better place. She would have graduated from Central High School this year. And as difficult as it has been for her family to realize yet another missed milestone, there is one bright spot: Mag-a-Palooza, the perpetual Maggie-themed party which, this year, promises to be the biggest and best celebration of Maggie’s life yet.
Maggie was in on the planning of the inaugural Mag-a-Palooza, designed to be a celebration of her remission. But instead, the cancer returned during treatment and she passed away before the big event. Her parents, Stefan and Moira Philbrook, bravely and rightly knew that Maggie’s beat – and the show – must go on, giving birth to a foundation, Maggie’s Beat, and a now time-honored community celebration, in her memory and honor.
One important ingredient to the day-long festival at Veterans Park, happening June 3 from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., is the collection of vendors who bring their best to the day – food from Auburn Pitts, brews courtesy of the The Flight Center, and Maggie’s favorite ice cream, thanks to longtime Philbrook friends Lee and Brian Gentile, owners of Ben & Jerry’s Scoop Shop on Elm.
They understand that it takes a village to rise to the challenge of coping with grief and raising awareness about the gaps in research and development of a cure for childhood cancers.
Carmen Giampetruzzi, owner of Auburn Pitts, says of all the events he participates in, Mag-a-Palooza is one he would not miss. He’s been providing hot dogs, hamburgers, sausages and peppers, and the Pitts’ famous pulled pork for the past four years.
“It was intended to be a fundraiser for Maggie, and it’s become more like a family reunion,” says Giampetruzzi. “My kids went to Smyth Road School before Maggie was there, but I have a young son there now, and the neighborhood is close-knit. Stefan and Moira are touching a lot of people and families who’ve gone through the same thing they did, which is really important.”
He says he’s become aware of families who travel from Maine and Massachusetts to support the cause.
“It just keeps blossoming year after year. Not only has it helped the Philbrooks in their grieving process as a family, but it’s helped a lot of other families. That’s what this day is all about – you will see a lot of teachers and community leaders there, and it’s just such a great, healing event,” Giampetruzzi says.
Preparing for the crowd, in a practical sense, means hundreds of pounds of simmered pork, and enough burgers and dogs to feed upwards of 1,000 people – this year’s warm and sunny weather forecast should mean a record crowd, which means Seth Simonian, of Nashua’s Flight Center, should have plenty of thirsty customers for his selection of eight mostly-local brews.
“We’ll have all local beers with the exception of Bud Light, which I guess you could say is local, with the Budweiser brewery in Merrimack,” says Simonian. The Fight Center keeps a rotating mix of 48 local beers on tap at any given day, and he’s selected six tap beers and two canned brews for Mag-a-Palooza-goers: Von Trapp’s Bohemian Pilsner, Hop Nosh from Uinta, Summer Kölsch from Martha’s Exchange, a hefeweizen and witbier from Stark Brewing Co., Misguided Angel from Litherman’s in Concord, and a yet-to-be-determined offering from Backyard Brewery in Manchester.
“We’re giving the audience a little taste of the local scene as well as raising money for the cause,” says Simonian. “We’ve grown to have a relationship with Stefan, and this event really hits home, knowing his story and what his family has been through.”
Perhaps nearest and dearest to the Philbrook family’s hearts is Lee Gentile of Ben & Jerry’s, as she actually got her marching orders directly from Maggie when the first Mag-a-Palooza was in the planning phase.
“Ben and Jerry’s was one of Maggie’s favorite spots, and the Coconut Seven Layer Bar was her favorite flavor,” says Gentile. “She had wanted her dad to carry on her legacy in a way that would help other kids afflicted with cancer through Mag-a-Palooza. Maggie loved food and music and ice cream, and hoped something like a palooza event could be held every year to raise money to help children’s cancer,” Gentile says.
“We always put Coconut Seven Layer Bar on the top of the menu, and we note that it’s Maggie’s favorite, which inspires a lot of people to try it – it’s a Scoop Shop-only flavor, so only dedicated Ben & Jerry’s fans are aware of it,” she says. “One of the first things Maggie wanted to know in planning the event was if Ben & Jerry’s could have ice cream sundaes, so that’s why we don’t just do cups and cones,” says Gentile.
And the family’s love of Ben & Jerry’s has not waned – in fact, Lydon Philbrook, Maggie’s younger brother, just started scooping at Ben & Jerry’s.
“He’s wonderful, he’s a hard-worker and his personality is terrific,” says Gentile. “He came in as soon as he turned 16, and I hired him on the spot.”
In addition to Maggie’s favorite, Gentile will be featuring Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough, Chocolate Fudge Brownie, vanilla, Cherry Garcia, Coffee Buzz and a blueberry-raspberry sorbet.
“We do build-your-own-sundae bar in addition to cups and our pre-made waffle cones,” says Gentile, who opened the Elm Street ice cream outpost 13 years ago with her husband.
“Our staff loves this event so much – it’s one of the most fun events we do,” says Gentile. “Our manager, Heather Barber, has done it every single year, it’s like her baby, and our other employees, Kyle Cavanaugh and Alycia Ashby will be scooping. Even though Lydon will be helping his dad run the show, he knows if we get overwhelmed he can jump in and help – he’ll be here, there and everywhere, I’m sure.”
After costs, all the money raised at the concessions goes back to the Maggie’s Beat, a 501(c)3 non-profit organization established in Maggie’s memory, with a mission to make a difference in the fight against pediatric Cancer.
Of course, what would any palooza be without music – performing on this year’s stage will be:
12 p.m. Donaher
1 p.m. Trade
2 p.m. Kali
3 p.m. The Hats
4 p.m. Gretchen & The Pickpockets
And another crowd-pleaser, Canine Commitment will again be hosting a Puppy Kissing Booth.
Tickets are suggested donation of $10 and available at the “door” – bring lawn chairs, umbrellas, and blankets, and settle in for a day of fun, food, music, community and caring, all for the love of Maggie Philbrook, whose beat goes on, and on.
