Yes, Dad’s Garage Theatre is saving the lives of countless little piggies by switching up its annual fundraising event. The Dad’s Garage Big Stupid Parking Lot Carnival is set for April 6 from 1 to 6 p.m. at the theatre, 569 Ezzard St.
Communications director Matthew Terrell said Dad’s Garage decided to change concepts so that the fundraiser was “more environmentally sustainable, more affordable, and that lets us focus on doing what we do best – providing a one-of-a-kind festival experience where patrons interact directly with improvisers in booths and games.”
“We want to be more sustainable. The bacon we served was not the best… to put it nicely,” Terrell said. “And sometimes we ended up with lots of food waste of uneaten bacon at the end of the day. We looked into upgrading our bacon to a more sustainable, organic option; however, we couldn’t do that without raising the ticket price for the event substantially. By stepping away from the bacon, we are making a more eco-conscious festival.”
The carnival will be part festival and part “theatrical weirdness,” including plenty of beer, rides, and food, while attendees will get to interact one-on-one with improvisers in games and carnival booths. And since this is Dad’s Garage, the booths – with names like “Hobo Wine Tasting” and “Wheelchair Obstacle Course” – won’t necessarily be politically correct.
“We want more food options for our guests. So many people told us that they don’t eat bacon, and that was a reason they would not come to the festival. We will be bringing in more food vendors this year, so folks can choose exactly what they want to eat,” Terrell said.
Since the theatre doesn’t have to procure a literal ton of bacon, ticket prices for the new event will be substantially lower starting at $10. All attendees must be 21-plus and IDs will be checked at the gate.
For tickets and information, visit dadsgaragecarnival.com.