Sherri, Charlie & Mark
Hi, we are Mark and Sherri, a brother and sister team who founded East Zion Pirate Entertainment in order to share our passion for the landscapes and seasons of southern Utah with a new generation of visitors who seek solitude, adventure, and sanctuary in what has quickly become one of the most popular tourist destinations in the United States. Then we synchronistically met our partner Charlie, a local musician, who originally ventured to Southern Utah from Hawaii & quickly became hooked on all that this area has to offer.
Founder & Head of Event Security
Mark moved to Southern Utah when he was 13 years old and quickly fell in love with the magical landscape of Zion.
He began rock climbing and exploring slot canyons in the mid 1990s and soon made his way to the foot of Zion Canyon's big walls, where he actually soloed his first big wall route, Touchstone, and subsequently led a number of terrifying first ascents, such as Dark Side of the Moon in 1999.
Locals in those days affectionately knew him as "Mark in the Park", as he was known to be wandering about remote areas of the park, every single day.
In the early 2000s, Mark set adrift to see the world, backpacking through Central America and sailing the seas of the Caribbean aboard a 32' cutter-rigged live-aboard sailboat.
Following his time at sea, Mark returned home to Southern Utah, where he built a freelance news gathering and documentary film company, which focused primarily on issues pertaining to local communities and the forgotten history of many of the area's inhabitants.
As the popularity of Zion National Park increased before an international audience, Mark realized that big changes were coming to the area & he could either struggle to accept those changes, or jump on board & help shape the developing landscape of Southern Utah.
He chose the latter & quickly became inspired to help bring entertainment & culture to the area that he holds so near & dear to his heart.
Event Coordinator for Talent, Stage, Sound & Media
Charlie OlGrady-Kessner is a passionate advocate for the arts and a driving force behind Southern Utah’s cultural growth.
Since relocating to the region in 2012, Charlie has developed a deep connection to the land, its people, and its unique desert beauty. Over the past decade, he has worked tirelessly to support local culture, using his talents as both an artist and event organizer.
With over 600 live performances booked since 2020 and more than 700 performances of his own since 2018, Charlie has become a key contributor to the area’s live music scene, helping to elevate Southern Utah’s artistic presence.
Charlie’s personal life is equally tied to the region. He lives in Cedar City with his wife and two daughters, and his love for the outdoors is a big part of his family’s lifestyle. When he’s not organizing events or performing, you’ll find him rock climbing, canyoneering, or running through the desert. These outdoor activities not only offer an escape but also fuel his creativity and inspire his work. For Charlie, the rugged landscapes of Southern Utah are a constant source of motivation, enriching both his personal life and his professional endeavors.
As a devoted husband, father, and artist, Charlie is committed to nurturing a creative community and helping shape a cultural legacy in Southern Utah. His passion for the land and its people, combined with his track record of success in the arts, makes him a natural partner for initiatives focused on cultural development, community engagement, and artistic growth in the region.
Charlie currently operates Charles Kessner Media and can be found online at charkessphoto.com
Event Coordinator for Talent, Volunteers & Sponsors
Sherri grew up spending her summers running free at her grandparents' ranch bordering Zion National Park. During these formative years, she developed a true love and respect for the landscape of the greater Zion area. In 1994, at age 17, Sherri moved to southern Utah full-time in order to fully immerser herself in the land that she had fallen in love with as a child.
She soon found herself chasing greater physical challenges in Zion; dropping technical slot canyons, rock climbing and summiting as many of the park's majestic peaks as she felt possible. She was hooked on exploring, not only the nooks and crannies of Zion, but the greater surrounding area and all that it has to offer.
Sherri's innate curiosity cultivated within her a keen desire to better understand the area's natural and cultural histories. This led to a continual and ongoing study of Zion's archeology, geology, native plants and primitive living skills of the greater desert southwest.
In her early 20s, Sherri worked as a guide in the unique field of wilderness youth therapy, a job which required her to teach such primitive living skills to wayward youth, while isolated in the wilderness for weeks and months at a time. This fostered within her a newfound desire to relate the knowledge she was gaining of the natural world to a greater audience and an eventual position as a naturalist for the Zion National Park Forever Project.
Sherri's love for exploring soon led her to the sea, where she purchased her own sailboat in southern Florida. From there, she sailed south through five different countries, before anchoring in the Virgin Islands, where she worked as a professional sailor, acting as first mate aboard a 62' catamaran for 5 years, during which time she logged more than 20,000 nautical miles.
During these long voyages at sea, Sherri began to feel the call of Zion once again, and soon returned home with the desire of creating a family. During this time, she worked as a licensed realtor in the Zion area. It was at this point when she realized that the entire globe seemed to be interested in moving to Southern Utah. This led her to begin pondering the issue of sustainability and responsible growth in her beloved Zion.
Not long after returning to Utah, while on a rafting trip through the Grand Canyon, she met her future husband and embarked on a new chapter in life. She moved to Colorado with her new family and began her years as a mother, which she considers her best adventure yet!
Sherri returned home to the desert again in 2018 and began seeking ways to relate her love of the Zion area to guests from around the globe, while acting as a Naturalist for the Zion National Park Forever Project. She currently guides hikes, nature walks and jeep tours while also acting as a naturalist for various travel groups who frequent Zion National Park.
East Zion Pirate Entertainment
We use cookies to analyze website traffic and optimize your website experience. By accepting our use of cookies, your data will be aggregated with all other user data.