Redmoon to Close Out 2013 Summer Park Series with Reception Tonight

Redmoon culminates its Summer Park Series - a Night Out in the Parks event - in the historic Humboldt Park with a special reception open to the public to honor Allstate Insurance Company and it collaborators and supporters tonight, September 7th, 2013.

"Allstate is proud to be a part of these amazing Summer Park events, which showcase so many talented young Chicago performance artists who are bringing joy and fabulous entertainment to communities across the city," said Vicky Dinges, vice president of corporate social responsibility at Allstate. "Our company is strongly committed to supporting Chicago's vibrant and diverse cultural arts because they deliver positive, life enriching experiences for our youth and Chicagoans of all ages."

The Humboldt Park event begins with an hour-long free drum and poetry workshop, taught in collaboration with the Bucket Boys and poets from Young Chicago Authors (YCA). Participants are then invited to parade through the park alongside Redmoon's newest machine - the Sonic Boom - a massive, 16 ft. tall transforming mobile boom box conceived by Redmoon's Producing Artistic Director Frank Maugeri. The parade leads into a community celebration that is a mash up of music by DJ LMS, spoken word poetry, drumming, dancing, and a free meal of pizza and fried chicken.

The event will also include a special performance by artists from YCA's Division St. Project, a year-long project grounded in non-fiction creative writing and verse journalism. YCA teaching artist Malcom London and Division St. Project Storyteller Nita Tennyson will share poems inspired by the project, followed by a song by Angie Citali.

As the conclusion of Redmoon's Summer Park Series, the event will include a special reception to honor the series' key supporters and collaborators, including Allstate Insurance Company, the Pritzker Traubert Family Foundation and the Chicago Park District.

"Mayor Rahm Emanuel's Night Out in the Parks initiative looks for ways to engage people in their communities," said Michael P. Kelly, Chicago Park District General Superintendent and CEO. "Redmoon was a great example of this. We witnessed how participatory art transforms parks into spaces for creative and positive activities."