Yard Party for Art returns to WMA on August 10
DOTHAN, Alabama – July 30, 2019 – The Wiregrass Museum of Art (WMA) is pleased to announce that Yard Party for Art (YPA) will return to the museum’s garden on Saturday, August 10, 2019. The annual, one-night art and music festival, billed as “the hottest party of the year,” will include a diverse lineup of live, original music from regional musicians,art demonstrations, an interactive virtual-reality experience, yard games, great drinks, local food trucks, and a chance to dance the night away in WMA‘s garden to support and promote the arts in the region.
MUSIC
YPA 2019 will feature performances by Fulton Lee (Nashville, Tenn.), Love Moor (Birmingham, Ala.), Carver (Nashville, Tenn.), and Suaze (Birmingham, Ala.). Lisa Sacaccio, morning anchor at local CBS affiliate WTVY-TV, will serve as the evening’s emcee.
[sp_wpcarousel id=”7974″]
ART
Yard Party for Art will once again feature interactive art experiences and demonstrations on the museum’s grounds. Hot Glass Academy from Americus, Georgia, will demonstrate glass blowing techniques, and Charlotte Watts from Flora Aura Photography (Atlanta, Georgia) will offer free “aura photography” sittings.
Local design firm PushCrankPress will also offer a free virtual reality (VR) experience in the yard, merging art, music, and technology. Using a special VR headset, YPA guests will momentarily step inside a virtual, digital world populated by an animated landscape and creatures that respond to the live music being played during the event.
“Semiotic Compass,” a public sculpture designed and constructed by two local artists that made its debut at Yard Party for Art 2018, will be on display at this year’s event and through the end of 2019 as part of WMA‘s observation of Alabama’s bicentennial year.
. 
. 
“YPA is an experience-based event where our guests can engage with regional musicians and artists and have a one-of-a-kind virtual reality interaction. The combination of art, music, and technology this year expands WMA‘s efforts to promote our mission and to provide a platform that builds meaningful connections between art and community,” said Dana-Marie Lemmer, WMA‘s executive director and curator.
FOOD AND DRINKS
Dothan’s favorite food trucks and vendors, including Peckham’s Food Truck, K.J.’s Shack, and Dothan Ice Cream, will provide crowd-pleasing snacks and dinner all evening long. Local microbrewery Folklore Brewing & Meadery will offer a tasting of their Pomegranate Wheat, a craft beer brewed especially for Yard Party for Art.
Cash bars featuring beer, wine, and mixed drinks will be located throughout the venue, with all proceeds from bar sales going to the museum. Non-alcoholic “mocktails” and sodas will be available, as well. WMA will provide free water to the crowd while supplies last.
THE OASIS TENT
The Oasis Tent, the ultimate VIP experience, will return to YPA for a second year. Local pop-up restaurant Harley’s Landing will feature our region’s finest produce, seafood, and farm-fresh offerings through gourmet, handheld “bites” in a relaxed setting with a private bar and lounge seating close to the stage. Headland, Alabama’s Gibson Distilling will have a tasting table in the tent featuring several of their spirits; a signature YPA cocktail, the Grapefruit Cosmo, made with Gibson vodka, will be available in the Oasis Tent and at the main event bar.
Tickets for the Oasis Tent are $75 each. In addition to dinner, each ticket includes general admission to the event. Space is limited. Reservations for the Oasis Tent can be made online at YardPartyForArt.com and at the museum’s front desk.
TICKETS AND SPECIAL PACKAGES
General admission tickets for Yard Party for Art are available online at YardPartyForArt.com and at the museum’s front desk for an advance price of $15. Pre-sale general admission tickets will be available through August 9. General admission tickets will be $20 at the gate on the evening of the event.The Folklore Four-Pack ($45) includes one general admission ticket, two Folklore beers at the event, a bar fast-pass, and a behind-the-scenes tour of Folklore Brewing & Meadery. The tours will be held August 17 or 24 and will include a complementary tasting glass.
The #wmaINSPIRED Bundle ($55) includes a general admission ticket, a hand screen- printed YPA poster designed by Dothan’s PushCrankPress and printed by Hunstville,Ala-based Green Pea Press, a 2019 YPA t-shirt, and a behind-the-scenes tour of WMAbefore the event begins on August 10.
YPA special ticket packages can be purchased at YardPartyForArt.com. Quantities are limited for both.
“All proceeds from Yard Party for Art will fund WMA‘s year-round work and mission to inspire lifelong learning through visual art,” said WMA‘s development director, Melissa Rea.
“Each person who buys a ticket to enjoy the event is doing more than just supporting musicians and artists for one night — they’re helping to keep admission and almost all of the museum’s programs completely free of charge for our Wiregrass neighbors year-round,” said Rea.
Additional information
Yard Party for Art‘s gates will open at 6 p.m., and music will begin at 6:30 p.m. Guests must be 18 years or older to attend.
For more information, visit YardPartyForArt.com or call the Wiregrass Museum of Art at 334-794-3871.
Yard Party for Art is generously sponsored by JM Wood Auction Company, Inc., Five Star Credit Union, Harley-Davidson of Dothan, McPherson Oil Products, Slingluff United Insurance, Tractor & Equipment Company, and Visit Dothan.
Additional sponsorship is provided by Bob Woodall Air Care Systems, Coffman International, Coleman Allied, Cowin Equipment Company, Flint Equipment Company (Dothan), Liddon Furniture, Oncology Supply, Thompson Tractor of Dothan, and Wiregrass Electric Cooperative.
Yard Party for Art is also supported by Adams Beverages, City of Dothan, DSI Security Services, East River Trading, Folklore Brewing & Meadery, Gibson Distilling, Harley’s Landing, HOTS Deli, Linens by David Parker, Matt Ray Photography, Mosquito Squad of the Wiregrass, The Plant, Portable Toilet Services, The Raq, TriState Graphics, WTVY-TV, and Which Wich (Dothan).
The Wiregrass Museum of Art inspires a lifelong appreciation for the visual arts by providing innovative educational programs that engage diverse audiences through the collection and exhibition of quality works. Since its founding in 1988, WMA has offered educational programs, nationally acclaimed art exhibitions and community events throughout the year. Its Board of Trustees guides the long-term vision and strategic goals, while its membership, City and County support, and grant funding provide the resources needed to fulfill its mission.
WMA‘s galleries are open to the public every Wednesday through Friday from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. and Saturdays from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m. General admission is always free. Private tours with guided art activities in the studio can be arranged by appointment on Mondays and Tuesdays. For tour information, visit wiregrassmuseum.org/