PREVIEW // Community Garden Party 2015

Calling all families and fun-lovers! Our annual Community Garden Party is right around the corner with more music, craft-making, munchies, and activities than ever! The big event will be held Sunday, June 21 from 1-5pm and is FREE for all ages. Here's a look at what we have in store for this year's shindig:

Move your feet to the beat with an all day music line-up including the May Day Marching Band, Amongst the Monks, Molly Alphabet and Machete Kisumontao.

Amongst the Monks

May Day Marching Band

Make magical medallions, masking tape mazes, and mythical monster masks with the Mattress Factory!

 Community Garden Party 2013

Make miniature gardens with Irma Freeman Center for Imagination, capture memories and mugshots in a Photo Booth by Fishstep Studios, and mess around with Makey Makey.

Marvel at mime and magician Howard Mincone.

Mobile food munchies from PGH Taco Truck, Franktuary, and The Pop Stop.

Other activities include making with Techshop, megawatt manifestations with The Land Art Generator Initiative, and making marvelous screen printed masterpieces with Artists Image Resource.

We can't wait to see you there!

2013 URBAN GARDEN PARTY WRAP-UP

2013 URBAN GARDEN PARTY
SOUL FACTORY: MOTOWN AT THE MUSEUM
Friday, June 21, 2013
 
This year's Urban Garden Party was again a sold-out affair, with nearly 1,400 guests flocking to the North Side to get down in support of Art You Can Get Into. The event raised an unprecedented $265,000 for the museum's artistic programs, educational outreach and operations. Following the fundraiser, over 400 people attended Community Garden Party for art activities, performances, workshops and fun! Click here to view pictures from this year's party.

GENERAL ADMISSION 7-11PM | SOLD OUT
VIP 6PM | SOLD OUT
Go back to a time when clothes were a little flashier, hair was a little funkier and 45 rpm was the only speed in town. Marking the museum's 35th year in Pittsburgh's North Side and looking ahead to our fall exhibition, Detroit: Artists in Residence, the Mattress Factory presents Soul Factory: Motown at the Museum. Co-Chairs Anne + Anuj Dhanda invite you to groove on over in your hippest rags for the museum's annual fundraiser, headlined Vancouver-based DJ The Gaff. This year's funk fest will feature over 40 of Pittsburgh’s best restaurants and caterers, pop-up performances by live entertainers including Kierra Darshell's Divas of Drag and DJ Zimmie, a silent auction of one-of-a-kind artwork, a Motown photo booth and dancing. A VIP pass will open the doors to the exclusive VIP pre-party from 6 - 7:30pm, hosted by Bob Sendall of All in Good Taste and featuring signature cocktails poured by Tender and Verde with Wigle Whiskey and Clique Vodka. Title Town Soul & Funk Party will provide Motown sounds from the 60s and 70s on original 45s and a private performance by Kierra Darshell's Divas of Drag will open the floor for you to shake your own groove thang in our Soul Train dance-off. Your VIP pass also gets you access to the VIP Lounge--including exclusive entertainment, a private bar, restroom and courtyard for VIPs only--throughout the night.

SOUL FACTORY AFTER PARTY
After the excitement dies down at MF, slide on over to Penn Brewery at 800 Vinial Street for the official Soul Factory after-party! All party attendees are invited to the after party, so SAVE YOUR WRISTBANDS for exclusive drink specials, a DJ and more. Check back for details as they are confirmed!



SOUL FACTORY CO-CHAIRS
Anne Nemer Dhanda + Anuj Dhanda

SOUL FACTORY HOST COMMITTEE
Mary-Lou Arscott
Christine Astorino
Judith Berger
Molly + Peter Blasier
Jessica + Jeff Brown
Pamela Z. Bryan
David Bush + Tim McVay
Lalit + Supriya Chorida>
Dan Drawbaugh + Sarah Thomas
Sherry DuCarme + Jeff Crummie
Rich + Cindy Engler
Peggy Finnegan
Beth Ann Fuhrer
Bryan Garlock + Deb Bergren
Paul J. Gitnik
Bob Hoover + Kathleen DeWalt
Rick + Laurie Johnson
Ryan Lammie
Susan + Scott Lammie
Jacqui + John Lazo
Martin Lazor + Karen Fredette
Scott Leff + Marilyn McDaniel
Helene + Tom Long
Muriel Luderowski
Ellen Mazo
Annie O'Neill
Nancy + Woody Ostrow
Councilman Bill Peduto
Terry + Tracey Perles
Donna + John Peterman
Marirose + John Radelet
Frances + Smokey Robinson
Caryn Rubinoff + Craig Dunham
Sharon Semenza + Bill Robinson
Dmitri + Ann Shiry
Rosanne Silva + Michael Tonkin
Eric Smith
Gene L. Svrcek
John Verbanic
Anoo + Viju Verghis
Alan + Martina Wells
Eric Werner
Michael White + Rick LeBeau
Maureen Young
Mazen Youssef + Suzan Obagi

SOUL FACTORY SPONSORS

$15,000
UPMC + UPMC Health Plan

$10,000
Anonymous
AT&T
CA Technologies
CGI
EMC
IBM
Oracle
Tata Consultancy Services

$5,000
Avaya
Cisco Systems
ConsultUSA
Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield
NACR
PNC Bank
PPG Industries Foundation
Presidio
Visa

$2,500
Allegheny General Hospital
Anne + Anuj Dhanda
H.J. Heinz Company
National Financial, A Fidelity Investments Company
The Pittsburgh Steelers
Schell Games
Xerox

$1,500
Plastic Surgery of Pittsburgh

$1,000
41st Parameter
Amcom
Gartner Inc.
Institute for Entrepreneurial Excellence, University of Pittsburgh
KPMG
Susan + Scott Lammie
Marilyn Coleman Consulting
Radiant Hall Studios

SOUL FACTORY MEDIA SPONSORS
WHIRL
Yelp
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
90.5 WESA + 91.3 WYEP

SOUL FACTORY FOOD + BEVERAGE SPONSORS
2 Local Girls
All in Good Taste Productions
Atria's @ PNC Park
Bar Marco
Bean Catering/Just Bean Coffeehouse
Big Boss Ice Cream
Bluebird Kitchen
Clique Vodka
Coca Cafe
Diageo-Guinness USA
Divine Delectables
Donato's Restaurant
Double Wide Grill
E2
Eclipse Lounge
Enrico's Biscotti Co.
Erin's Fine Foods
Fukuda
Gina Marie's Catering
Girasole
Half Baked
Jimmy Wan's Restaurant and Lounge
JPC Event Group
La Prima Espresso Co.
Legume
Lola Bistro
Luma
Marty's Market
Monterey Pub
Ola Appetit Catering Company
Opening Night Catering
Penn Brewery
PGH Taco Truck
Pittsburgh Candy Buffet
Pittsburgh Winery
PVI Global Imports
Rania's Catering
Rita's Italian Ice
Tender
The Capital Grille
The Culinary Artists Gourmet Catering Group
The Elbow Room
The Grateful Deli
The Greek Gourmet
Tupelo Honey Teas
Verde
Wigle Whiskey


FRIENDS OF THE MF
17th Street Cafe
ALCO Parking Corporation
Flowerama
Hilbish McGee Lighting Design
J.V. Chujko
Massage Envy Spa - Squirrel Hill
Mistick Construction Company + Northside Associates
Nakama
Party Savvy
Shults Ford




ADDITIONAL THANKS
 


VIDEO CREDITS  
The Gaff and Skratch Bastid: Good Old Days Pt. 2           
The Gaff: Do That Thing          
Girl Talk: This is the Remix 
Love Skateboards: Rob Mentov and Justin Bohl: Nothing Stops Detroit
The Best of Soul Train

The 2012 Community Garden Party is Almost Here!

Things are getting curiouser and curiouser here at MF with preparations for the 2012 Community Garden Party in full swing and only two weeks to go before Alice and her friends turn the garden into a magical place where everyone gets the chance to be a Mad Hatter, a hula hooper, and a silk screen artist. Your dreams will literally materialize in front of your eyes when artist Paul Nosa sews them onto fabric using a sustainably powered sewing machine, or when you order your first taco from the long-awaited PGH Taco Truck!

Silk Screening with AIR at last year's Community Garden Party

Partygoers can also look forward to entertainment from emcees Tom Sarver and Mike Cuccaro of the Puppet Happening, live music from local bands like the North Side Urban Pathways Sounds of Steel, and an introduction into the world of garden arts with artist Rose Clancy. The galleries will be open too so don’t forget to check out the awesome exhibitions currently on display.

Last year's hula hoop champion

This annual party is our way of saying thanks to the community for helping us facilitate another year of amazing art created by amazing artists. And as usual, it’s free and family friendly with lots of games, activities, and entertainment for everyone. None of it would be possible without the community members who support us, and for that we think you deserve a chance to experience wonderland, at least for a day.


WHAT: 2012 Community Garden Party
WHERE: The Mattress Factory, 500 Sampsonia Way, Pittsburgh, PA
WHEN: Sunday, June 17 2012, Noon – 5 p.m.
COST: FREE!