Just in time to buy a gift for Mother’s Day, New Normal Apparel is hosting the Feed the Byrd
Just in time to buy a gift for Mother’s Day, New Normal Apparel is hosting the Feed the Byrd Bazaar, with local vendors and handmade gifts galore.
“The Byrd is a historical theater,” said Kelley Blanchard, President and creative director of New Normal Apparel. “A lot of people don’t realize that the Byrd is a non-profit and they kind of run off their movie tickets. They don’t really have fundraisers from time to time and it’s important to support those local businesses that are trying to stick around.”
From May 2-3 there will be locally made gifts from vendors such as SuperFun Yoga Pants, jewelry from Red Lintu and Brittanny Chanel Jewelry as well as homemade candles from Jenny Mills.
Feed the Byrd Bazaar also coincides with the Carytown Sidewalk Sale so there will be plenty more to see.
New Normal Apparel’s mission is to provide fashion that is designed and made locally. They frequently hold fundraisers for local nonprofits at their store, 212 E. Clay St., but wanted to host this one on site at the Byrd.
Following their usual promotional pattern, they are making t-shirts for the event, which will be available on their website by April 29, and at their table in front of the marquee. They are all made in the USA, ecofriendly and printed locally. According to Blanchard, 15 percent of the t-shirt sales will go directly to the Byrd Theater Foundation.
Grant Mizell, member of the Byrd Theater Foundation, said it’s important for the theater to get involved with as many fundraisers as they can.
“We look at every opportunity we can for community engagement,” Mizell said. “The theater runs seven days a week, 365 (days a year). For us it’s really important. It’s not like some of these other theaters or performing arts centers that aren’t open every day. We are and we really consider ourselves a community institution.”
Mizell also credits the Carytown Merchants Association for promoting their Sidewalk Sale, which will draw more vendors and hopefully a bigger crowd for the weekend.
“We believe in Carytown,” Mizell said. “We’re a Carytown business just like everybody else and so we want to support the Carytown Sidewalk Sale just as much as Carytown supports us.”
Mizell hopes to have a table set up outside of the Byrd Theater to take donations and give out gifts for contributions.
The colorful collection of goods will be available from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Satuday and Sunday. Both Mizell and Blanchard said the theme for the event revolves around Mother’s Day.
“People are going to be out shopping anyway now that spring has finally sprung,” Mizell said. “And it’s just nice to be outside, especially in Carytown.”
Blanchard said through t-shirt sales and donations, they hope to provide the Byrd Theater Foundation with a little extra something to keep them going.
“It’s just an event to bring awareness to the theater, its mission and kind of give them a little summer boost,” Blanchard said.
