It's been a while, but the crowdfunding scene in Denton is at a boil currently, so we figured it was as good a time as any to search through Kickstarter, IndieGoGo and a few others to bring to you the best of crowdfunding that Denton has to offer. Go ahead and read through the following campaigns. If something strikes your fancy, please donate and feel good about yourself for the rest of the day.
Denton Community Splash Park
With tomorrow’s Better Block’s meeting, the idea of making change happen is hot on the mind of Dentonites. This campaign, initiated by local mover and shaker, Amber Briggle, evokes that mindset in spades. If the concept of a “splash pad” doesn’t evoke anything in your mind, imagine the summers your spent in your front yard, running through the water spray from the nearby oscillating sprinkler. Well, a “splash pad” is kind of like that. It’s an area with multiple streams of water in various arrangements, with multiple drains preventing said water from pooling. It’s fun and kids love ‘em. Maybe you’ve seen a small one behind the Barnes and Noble in Highland Village.
Briggle has spoken with the powers-that-be at the city level and been promised that if she raises the funds, the park would be built. If not this year, then in the next year. Briggle went on to say, “The goal… is to bring this money to City Council, show them how serious we are about this, and hope that they can meet us the rest of the way so we can get this built in the next year!
Many Denton artists and businesses have donated their time and products as incentives to donators. $500 will net you your own Paul Slavens concert, $150 will get you an engraved brick on the site and a donation of $250 will allow you and seven of your friends to yell at Kevin Roden about politics of your choice at your very own Drink and Think.
Denton Holiday Lighting Festival Song Compilation
The event commonly known as “The Tree Lighting,” “wassail fest,” or “Kettle Korn Time,” is actually the “The Denton Holiday Lighting Festival.” It’s a free event in December every year that you probably already go to (we just learned that every year a commemorative Denton Christmas ornament is produced - how do we not already have all of them?).
This year, they’re producing a compilation CD in celebration of their 25th anniversary. The compilation will be full of of their favorite holiday performances from Denton bands. You can look forward to hearing Sarah Jaffe, Boxcar Bandits, the Denton Community Band and many others on this multi-decade spanning compilation. Our friend Nick is the only person we know who still buys CDs. Thankfully, the crew behind the The Denton Holiday Lighting Fesitval also plans on making the album available to purchase online, as well.
Donations to the cause can get you cool swag like T-shirts and framed photos.
Donate here.
Well, this is a tough one. Local artist, Michael Todd, is looking to fund a trip to Paris to meet his longtime Russian internet girlfriend, Anastasia. He's looking for $25,000 in order to travel the 6,100 miles distance, document said experience through professional means and to then get their story out to the masses in the form of a documentary and follow-up book. While we were left wanting to call Max and Nev of Catfish after reading Todd's novel of a explanation (which we highly encourage you to read, yourself) on his IndieGoGo campaign, something kept us from finding their contact info on MTV.com. We want to read this book. We would pay $12/ticket to get the chance to see this documentary. While our pessimism forces us to doubt the legitimacy of Todd's girlfriends' story, either way, it would be wonderful to watch. Donations will get you the normal digital download or sponsorship credit, but we also found it interesting that they're offering the ability to go to the screening of your choice, naming SXSW, NYFILM and Sundance as future screenings. "Dream big and love conquers all," right?