Spookstock or SOFstock is an annual, invitation-only charity event and music festival organized by members of the U.S. intelligence community and the Spookstock Foundation. The event is known for its secrecy, with details about its location, date, and attendees kept confidential. Spookstock primarily raises funds for the

CIA Officers Memorial Foundation CIA Officers Memorial Foundation is a non-profit organization that provides financial support to the families of Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) officers who have died in the line of duty. History and work It was established in December 2001 ...

, which provides educational scholarships and support to the children of CIA officers killed in the line of duty, the

Special Operations Warrior Foundation The Special Operations Warrior Foundation (SOWF) is an American tax-exempt 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1980 to provide college scholarships and educational counseling from "cradle to career" to the surviving children of America ...

, which supports the families of fallen special operations personnel, and the Defense Intelligence Memorial Foundation. The event also serves as an opportunity for the young beneficiaries of the supported foundations to meet each other and network. The daughter of

Johnny Micheal Spann Johnny Micheal "Mike" Spann (March 1, 1969 – November 25, 2001) was an American paramilitary officer in the Central Intelligence Agency's Special Activities Division. Spann was the first American killed in combat during the United States ...

is involved in the foundation. Her father, a paramilitary officer in the CIA, was first American killed in combat during the

United States invasion of Afghanistan Shortly after the September 11 attacks in 2001, the United States declared the war on terror and subsequently led a multinational military operation against Taliban-ruled Afghanistan. The stated goal was to dismantle al-Qaeda, which had exe ...

in 2001. The event has attracted approximately 1,800 attendees in recent years, including high-profile performers such as

Billy Idol William Michael Albert Broad (born 30 November 1955), known professionally as Billy Idol, is an English singer, songwriter, musician, and actor. Idol achieved fame in the 1970s on the London punk rock scene as the lead singer of Generation X ...

Lenny Kravitz Leonard Albert Kravitz (born May 26, 1964) is an American singer, musician, songwriter, record producer, and actor. His debut album ''Let Love Rule (Lenny Kravitz album), Let Love Rule'' (1989) was characterized by a blend of Rock music, rock ...

Peter Frampton Peter Kenneth Frampton (born 22 April 1950) is an English-American guitarist, singer, and songwriter who rose to prominence as a member of the rock bands the Herd and Humble Pie. Later in his career, Frampton found significant success as a s ...

ZZ Top ZZ Top is an American rock band formed in Houston, Texas, in 1969. For almost 56 years, it consisted of vocalist-guitarist Billy Gibbons, drummer Frank Beard (musician), Frank Beard, and bassist-vocalist Dusty Hill prior to his death in 2021. ZZ ...

, and the

Steve Miller Band The Steve Miller Band is an American rock music, rock band formed in San Francisco, California in 1966. The band is led by Steve Miller (musician), Steve Miller on guitar and lead vocals. The group had a string of mid- to late-1970s hit singles ...

. The guest list includes members of the intelligence and military communities, as well as defense contractors and corporate sponsors, who contribute significantly to the fundraising efforts. Despite its exclusivity, Spookstock has grown in popularity and visibility, leading organizers to consider expanding the event to other locations.

References

{{Reflist 501(c)(3) organizations