In 1947, a Tacoma man reported seeing six flying discs while boating off Maury Island. He claimed molten slag from one of the discs fell on the boat, killing his dog, “Sparky.”

The infamous “Maury Island Incident” launched the “Summer of the Saucers,” and the first alleged encounter with a mysterious Man in Black.

This year’s Men In Black Birthday Bash (aka MIBBB Fest) will pay homage to Sparky with a new event. On Sunday, June 22, the final day of MIBBB Fest, Destination Des Moines will host Sparky’s Revenge, a flying disc dog tournament at the Des Moines Field House. The fantastic frisbee-catching dogs will be members of the Summit Disc Dog club. 

This is a free, non-ticketed event – just show up!

“It was 78 years ago that Sparky was killed by a flying disc. Giving the dogs a chance to bite a flying disc back just made sense,” said MIBBB Fest co-founder Steve Edmiston. “This tragic story has been largely forgotten to history. We’ve been looking for a way to honor Sparky for several years. We are grateful to Destination Des Moines fand Summit Disc Dogs for bringing this idea to life.”

The tournament will be held at the Des Moines Field House (map below) from 11 a.m.–1p.m. on Sunday, June 22. The event is free, and the public is invited to watch. No ticket is required.

“The Summit Disc Dog Club has been competing in the K9 Frisbee Toss & Fetch Worldwide League, which is the largest dog sport on planet earth, since June of 2021,” Summit Disc Dogs founder and team captain David Story said. “The sport is great for both owners and dogs, and fun to watch. We can’t wait to share it with MIBBB Fest! It’s a friendly environment, but it’s also fun to compete; we compete in 7 seasons every year that each last for 5 weeks in duration. Our club has won 10 different division championships and is currently ranked No. 5 of over 300 different clubs worldwide.”

MIBBB Fest 2025 features multiple events, running June 13-22. The annual festival commemorates the Maury Island Incident. 

MIBBB Fest kicks off June 13 with an alien abductee lookalike contest inspired by recurring SNL character Colleen Rafferty, played by Kate McKinnon. The festival is anchored by its signature cosplay event, the Men in Black Birthday Bash (MIBBB) on June 21.

Get the details on all MIBBB Fest events here.

More info:

About MIBBB Fest

Held each year in Des Moines, Washington, MIBBB Fest commemorates history’s first alleged encounter with the so-called Men in Black, the infamous 1947 Maury Island Incident, and the top-secret government intervention that followed. This local festival was founded in 2022 by a small group of Des Moines residents, including Des Moines natives Steve and Melody Edmiston, who are passionate about sharing the fascinating stories of their hometown’s history.

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, Intellectual Property 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.

The Des Moines Field House is located at 1000 S. 220th Street, Des Moines, WA 98198: