Parrish Art Museum Hosts Spring Fling Benefit on Saturday

The Parrish Art Museum’s annual Spring Fling community party, fundraiser and networking event takes place at the museum this Saturday, April 5 from 7:30–11:30 p.m. For the first time, the event will feature an art detective scavenger hunt in the galleries, in addition to the silent auction. Spring Fling helps support the Parrish’s year-round educational programs for children.

“The Parrish Art Museum has always been an integral part of our East End community and Spring Fling specifically funds programs for children,” event co-chair Nancy Hardy said . “All of our kids have grown up coming to the museum on school field trips and have participated in the annual Student Art Exhibition, but the Parrish offers programs and events for all children—from full-time residents to summer visitors.”

This year’s event includes live music by the band Noiz, hors d’oeuvre and an open bar featuring wine and spirits from Niche Import Co. and Alpha Noble Vodka. Guests participating in the museum’s first scavenger hunt through the galleries will compete for prizes, and this year’s silent auction will offer goods and services donated by the East End business and professional community, including VIP tickets to Live with Kelly & Michael, a surfboard from Island Riders, a skateboard from Flying Point Surf Shop, VIP tent passes to the 2014 Hampton Classic Horse Show, spa treatments from Naturopathica Spa and John Dillon Salon, “Beach Glass” beverage glasses, gift certificates for Almond, red bar brasserie, 75 Main and other restaurants, handbags from Brahmin and Eric Javits, and more.

Spring Fling began in the 1990s and now raises over $100,000 annually for the Parrish education department. In 2013 the Museum directly served 1,500 families, 2,100 students, and more than 1,000 adults. Programs included summer camp, workshops, tours and art studio workshops.

This is the second year that Spring Fling will be held at the museum’s new Herzog & de Meuron building in Water Mill. Last minute tickets for this event on Saturday are $225; $150 for members.

Tickets may be purchased online at parrishart.org, by contacting the benefit events office at 631-283-2118 x150 or emailing benefitevents@parrishart.org.

The Parrish Art Museum’s programs are made possible, in part, by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Andrew Cuomo and the New York State Legislature, and the property taxpayers from the Southampton School District and the Tuckahoe Common School District.