Left: Dara Quinn, Right: Alicia Cullison / Photo by Jan Mennenga
Approaching its 20th anniversary, the Thunder on the Island concert series at Clover Island Inn is a summertime entertainment staple in Tri-Cities.
A unique location on the island owned by the Port of Kennewick, the Clover Island Inn is a popular place to stay for those visiting Tri-Cities, with waterfront views and restaurant and recreational options nearby.
One hotel parking lot hosts a large stage used for Thunder on the Island shows during the warm seasons.
Thunder of the Island includes free, family-friendly shows on Wednesdays and headlining acts on Sundays. With a capacity of 1600 attendees, the venue makes for a fantastic space for large events.
With a change in personnel, Tri-Cities can look forward to what will surely be a stacked year of Thunder on the Island in 2025.
Changes on the Island
The inception and upkeep of Thunder on the Island is largely attributed to Mark Blotz, though it is said he refuses to accept such credit. Blotz officially retired from his management role when the inn was sold to a new group earlier this year.
The 2024 Thunder on the Island events were put on by the new owners and current staff, CII Hospitality, but they told the Port of Kennewick that they lost a lot of money on the concert series because of a lack of food and liquor sales. The new owners are in the process of revamping the venue, and as yet, there are no current food or liquor licenses.
They began to look at other options for the event — keeping Thunder on the Island where it is, but bringing in outside contractors to run the concerts.
A couple of groups were interested in taking over, but the best offer came from The Emerald of Siam’s Dara Quinn, who started a new event management business with partner Alicia Cullison, Emerald Spark Events.
In September, they entered an agreement with CII Hospitality and the Port of Kennewick (which leases the stage to CII). It was the last piece of the puzzle needed for the takeover.
Thunder on the Island 2025
Thunder on the Island will celebrate its 20th year in 2025 with bigger events, using Quinn’s vast connections in the music industry, Cullison’s aptitude with running large stages, and the collective experience of the talented staff and partners they work with.
Quinn and Cullison said in an interview that their goals for the year include diversifying the audience and offering a wider array of music.
The duo also plans to offer all-encompassing services during events. Emerald Spark will take over booking bands, finding sponsors, and handling all aspects of the concerts: ticketing, sound, food and drinks, stage management, and more.
Quinn and Cullison would like to host additional events at the venue during the warmer seasons. Emerald Spark will be available for corporate and other events at local venues moving forward. The Emerald Spark Events website is up and running, including contact options for future event inquiries.
For now, the focus is on delivering the best possible Thunder on the Island series in 2025, they said.
Quinn and Cullison are looking for local sponsors to support the new venture. They said in an interview that they’ve received a lot of community support throughout this process, and they’re excited for the new undertaking.
About Emerald Spark Events
Quinn and Cullison met while working together at the 2024 Tri Town Get Down music festival in Richland.
Quinn was an instrumental part of the festival in numerous capacities in both 2023 and 2024, and Cullison joined this year as the volunteer coordinator. They realized they worked well together, and had similar visions when it comes to putting on community events.
Conversations about who could take over Thunder on the Island followed the Get Down festival early this June. Once Quinn began discussing the possibilities with Cullison, “there was an immediate spark,” she said in an interview.
With nods to both of their existing ventures, The Emerald of Siam for Quinn and Spark Innovative Learning Project for Cullison, Emerald Spark Events was born soon after.
Cullison has experience with several nonprofit organizations, including the Tri-Cities Diversity and Inclusion Council and Tri-Cities Pride, on top of her work with the Learning Project. Quinn has been in the music industry for decades, with more connections than she has space for. With both of their backgrounds combined, plus the large venue provided by Clover Island Inn, Emerald Spark Events could prove to be huge for local entertainment.
Karlee Van De Venter is a full-time reporter at the Tri-City Herald who contributes Arts and Entertainment coverage for Tumbleweird. Through a co-publication agreement, this content may also appear in the Herald. For more local music coverage, follow @KarleeVNews on Instagram.
