'Carrying on his legacy.' A pint, BBQ and raw bar at festival in Cape musician's memory

To many, Mark Hennessy is a Cape Cod musical icon. While some may know him from his earlier bands, like The Hennessy Brothers and Tequila Mockingbird, he's primarily known for being the lead singer and guitarist for the Cape Cod Slackers, a band he and Jeffery “Hollywood” Heyward created.

“It feels like everybody you call (are like,) ‘Mark played my wedding party or my birthday party,’” Leanne Anderson, board member for the Mark Hennessy Foundation and marketing and events manager for Cape Cod Beer said. “Anybody that you talked to was somehow connected to him.”

After a diagnosis of multiple myeloma, Hennessy died in May of 2022 at age 67. In the month prior to his death, Hennessy played his last show, Cape Cod Beer's 19th anniversary party, and according to Anderson, everyone showed up to see him play.

“That was a big celebration that day,” she said. “... We had so many restaurant owners that were here to support him. We had so many of his fans that came down to the brewery just to see him play one last time because the word had gotten out that he didn't have much longer. “

In 2023, the Mark Hennessy Foundation was launched with the mission of helping music students, established musicians and those trying to break into the industry advance their careers through “education, empowerment, innovation and celebration,” according to their website.

The start of Hensc Fest

That same year, the foundation and Cape Cod Beer threw the inaugural Hensc Fest, a music festival celebrating Hennessy's legacy and raising money for the foundation's goal of helping musicians.

“The most important part is that by carrying on his legacy, we're going to be helping students, local musicians, we're going to try to keep music (flowing) through across the Cape,” Anderson said.

Now, the pair is back for another Hensc Fest on June 22. The festival runs from noon to 8 p.m. featuring performances from local musicians, an auction — including hot ticket items like Cape Symphony tickets and gift cards to local restaurants like the Beachcomber and Black Cat Tavern — and grub from local vendors.

“The music is gonna be great this year,” Anderson said. “We're excited about that. It was great last year but every year we're trying to get bigger and better.”

Hensc Fest lineup 2024

Hennesy’s partner in Cape Cod Slackers, Hollywood, kicks off this year’s festival  — accompanied by Fitzy Strings — followed by The Dirty Water Dance Band, Nikki & The Barn Boys, Syndicate and ending with Crooked Coast.

"It's extra special to have (Nikki & The Barn Boys) this year because one of (The Mark Hennessy Foundation's) major donations was actually to the band," Anderson said. "... Nikki & The Barn Boys had lost some of their equipment off the back of a truck last summer... so the Hennessy Foundation actually paid to replace their damaged equipment."

Red River BBQ and Poor Boy Fisheries — previously known as F/V Isabel and Lilee — will be selling BBQ and raw-bar delicacies and Cape Cod Beer will be selling the booze (and other beverages) at the festival.

VIP tickets — which include admission, a Hensc Fest t-shirt, a Hensc Fest pint glass and a free drink ticket — for this year's Hensc Fest are $75 and general admission is $38. For more information about Hensc Fest or to buy tickets, visit www.capecodbeer.com/.

To learn more about the Mark Hennessy Foundation, visit www.markhennessyfoundation.org/.

Frankie Rowley covers entertainment and things to do. Contact her at frowley@capecodonline.com.

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This article originally appeared on Cape Cod Times: In memory of Mark Hennessy, Cape musical icon: June 22 music festival