Three individuals will receive the inaugural Men in Black Birthday Bash Awards on June 22, 2022, to recognize their contributions to Washington State history, mythology, and culture relating to the 1947 Summer of the Saucers, the infamous Maury Island Incident, and the world’s first alleged encounter with the iconic Men in Black.
The awards – known as MIBBBY’s – will be presented at the upcoming 6/22: The Men in Black Birthday Bash. The June 22, 2022 event commemorates the first appearance of Men in Black on June 22, 1947 in Tacoma.
“Over the past decade, these awardees have, with open minds, big hearts, great humor, and some very particular sets of skills, helped to correct a historical omission – Washington’s primary role in the modern UFO era,” said 6/22 co-founder Steve Edmiston.
Additional MIBBBYs will be awarded for 6/22’s Best-Dressed, in four categories:
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- Best in Show
- Best Traditional
- Best Experimental
- Courage
Attendees are encouraged to dress in a version of the historic look described in FBI documents: basic black suit, white shirt, black tie.
However, Edmiston explained, attire will be fun, not formal.
“We expect a lot of traditional black suits, fedoras, and sunglasses, as well as contemporary black and white office attire. But we won’t be surprised by a James Bond tuxedo, a classic Cruella DeVille, or a 1950’s James Dean in black jeans and white T-shirt,” he said. “We’ll embrace seeing the envelope pushed, hence the MIBBBYs for Experimental and Courage.”
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- 6/22 will take place at the Quarterdeck in Des Moines, with a view across Puget Sound at Point Robinson, near where the Maury Island Incident was alleged to have occurred in June, 1947.
- The event is set to begin precisely at 6:22 p.m., June 22, 2022.
- The party will feature music by JT Underwood and Paper Moon.
- The event will include a visit from a Man in Black who will deliver The Warning (must be present to listen.)
The Northwest’s UFO history and status as the birthplace of the Men in Black has long been celebrated at Burning Saucer, the annual meeting of the Maury Island Incident Historical Society. Burning Saucer’s comedic homage to local UFO culture and airing of grievances against Roswell, New Mexico, has been labeled the Birthday Party for the Men in Black by Den of Geek<, featured in Ripley’s Believe It Or Not, inspired the award-winning film The Maury Island Incident, landed a segment on the History Channel’s Ancient Aliens, and inspired the Washington State Senate to pass Resolution 8648 to acknowledge the Maury Island Incident’s contribution to Washington history and culture.
Event details:
WHAT: 6/22: The Men in Black Birthday Bash
WHEN: Wednesday, June 22, 2022. Doors open at 5:30 p.m.; the Great Synchronization at 6:22 p.m.
WHERE: Quarterdeck – 22307 Dock Ave. S., Des Moines, WA 98198
TICKETS: On sale now at EventBrite.
For more information:
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- Visit the 6/22 website
- Follow 6/22 on Facebook
- Follow 6/22 on Instagram
- Visit the Quarterdeck events page
About Quarterdeck at the Des Moines Marina
The Quarterdeck serves beer, wine, and coffee with the best view in Des Moines.
About the Maury Island Incident Historical Society
The Maury Island Incident Historical Society (motto: Always remembering never to forget again forever together) celebrates Puget Sound’s most infamous alleged UFO sighting at its annual meeting, a.k.a. Burning Saucer, each June. Learn more here.
About Steve Edmiston
Steve is an appointee to the Humanities Washington Speakers Bureau, and has keynoted the Washington State Historical Society, Smith Tower Rumrunners Club, McMenamin’s History Pubs, conferences, festivals, historical societies, and business groups. He is also a business, entertainment, and IP attorney, and independent film screenwriter/producer. He is credited with four feature films (including Lifetime’s Crimes of the Past). His award-winning shorts include The Maury Island Incident, The Day My Parents Became Cool, and Thr33.
Learn more about Steve Edmiston here.