Last August, our community lost a gifted young musical artist, Nolan Gibbons, to Sudden Unexplained Death in Childhood (SUDC). As COVID-19 restrictions have lifted, the family is planning a memorial event on July 11, the day before Nolan’s 16th birthday. To celebrate his life, “NolanFest” will be held at Silvershell Beach in Marion, beginning at 5:00 pm and ending around 9:00 pm. Please bring your own chairs or blankets.
The event is free and open to the public. Please bring chairs or blankets.
Nolan was a rising sophomore at Old Rochester Regional High School and already a very successful musician. He began singing locally at age 9 with the community service and music troupe, The Showstoppers. In 2017, at the age of 12, Nolan won New England’s Got Talent by performing an a cappella version of John Lennon’s “Imagine,” which he arranged and produced himself. In 2018, Nolan was cast as the main vocal percussionist of Acapop! KIDS, a national all-kids a cappella group formed by the founders and members of the Grammy Award-winning group, Pentatonix. Through Acapop! KIDS, Nolan travelled frequently to New York, Dallas, and Los Angeles to record and film music videos, which have amassed over 50 million views on YouTube. The highlight of his Acapop experience was an appearance on the Kelly Clarkson Show in January 2020. Most recently, Nolan was working on an album of original songs he had been writing, recording, and producing himself. In keeping with Nolan’s plans, his parents will continue to release his original music. Nolan’s next single, “My Turn,” will be released on July 12 on all streaming platforms.
Nolan lived his motto: “Everybody Likes to be Themselves,” every day of his life by recognizing and celebrating the unique gifts in every person he met. NolanFest aims to encourage others to do the same. Family and friends from around the country are expected to speak, share stories, and perform on stage to pay tribute to Nolan. Videos of Nolan’s performances and his music will also be shared. The event will be capped off with the release of lanterns over the ocean. Food trucks will be onsite.
If you would like to perform or volunteer to help with the event, please reach out to Laura at lmcarrillo1@gmail.com.
NolanFest t-shirts and other items will be available for purchase (cash, PayPal, or Venmo only) on the day of the event. To pre-purchase t-shirts and other items, go to nolanfest.myshopify.com.
If you would like to help with the cost of the event, you can donate via Venmo to @NolanFest. All proceeds will go to the development of The Nolan Gibbons Memorial Fund in support of the arts.