Onset music festival plays on the heartstrings
It was a symphony of music and emotion at the inaugural Ryan Levangie Memorial Onset Music Festival Saturday afternoon.
The festival, held at the Onset Bandshell, and organized by Levangie’s family and local artist Grace Morrison, was held in commemoration of local Ryan Levangie, who died in a motorcycle accident last July at the age of 29. The event kicked off after a morning dedication of a memorial bench on the Onset Pier.
Levangie’s mother, Susan Levangie, said she couldn’t imagine a better way than the festival to remember her son.
“There’s been such an outpouring toward Ryan, and the person that he was,” Levangie said. “The thing that made me proud is that he was such a good person. He … encouraged so many people to do the best that they could.”
The festival saw more than 150 people trickling in and out throughout the day. In addition to the six bands featured, there were three singers who came on stage to sing at intervals.
“The class of 2003 wanted to do a memorial for Ryan, when he passed away,” Morrison said. “His mother and I really collaborated quite a bit on it.”
Though the event was free to attend, there were several raffles, which went to a plaque in Levangie's name at the Wareham Free Library’s Spinney branch, and raised money for a Junior Basketball Association scholarship in Ryan Levangie’s name.
Morrison also said the festival was also a good way to utilize the bandshell.
“Last year, I came to the jazz festival, and I was astounded at what a great event it was, and I feel like we don’t use [the bandshell] enough,” Morrison said. “It’s this great resource we have, and Onset, back in its heyday, was this huge music community.”
Levangie said she could not pick a favorite part of the festival, but was grateful to everyone who came out to remember her son.
“Everybody who knew him loved him. He never had a squabble with anyone,” Levangie said. “He didn’t have an enemy in world. Anyone that knew Ryan loved Ryan.”