In celebration of Halloween, the Cleveland chapter of the American Institute of Graphic Arts (AIGA) hosts GUTS, a family-friendly pumpkin carving competition to benefit the Make-A-Wish Foundation. GUTS takes place at ABC the Tavern Uptown (next to MOCA Cleveland) from 3:30 to 6:30 p.m. this Saturday, Oct. 24.
GUTS was created by CRAFTED, a marketing agency in Charlotte, North Carolina, and is co-hosted by AIGA. The event has gone national, and this is the first ever GUTS event in Cleveland.
“GUTS was initially piloted by AIGA Charlotte and has been adapted by AIGA chapters throughout the country,” explains AIGA Cleveland President Jamie Winebrenner. “We're excited to bring the event to Cleveland creatives and benefit our local Make-A-Wish chapter. Design for Good events are important for our community. Not only do they allow us to showcase our talented members but they also allow us to have a greater social impact.”
Admission is free. Funds will be raised through carvers’ registration fees, a silent auction and merchandise. A merch table will feature GUTS posters, t-shirts and more to commemorate this inaugural event. 100 percent of proceeds will be donated to Make-A-Wish, and funds will be used to help grant the wishes of Northeast Ohio children.
“We are so grateful to AIGA Cleveland for bringing this family-friendly event to Cleveland,” says Michele DeScioli, Development Director at Make-A-Wish. "There is so much to do for pumpkin carvers and non-carvers at this event, and 100 percent of the proceeds will be used to grant the wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions. Cleveland is full of incredibly talented people, and we can’t wait to see what masterpieces they will create. Ready, Set, Carve!”
The competition is open to local and regional creative professionals. Participants will have 90 minutes to carve their pumpkins. Following the carving portion of the event, guests can cast votes for People’s Choice and bid on the individual pumpkins in the silent auction. Each table will have “trick-or-treats” to share.
Winners will be announced at 6:30 p.m. Prizes will be awarded for the First Place Individual, First Place Team and People’s Choice award. Winners will take home their GUTS trophy to proudly display until defending it at next year’s event.
Registration is $30 for individual carvers and $60 for teams of 2 to 3. You’ll need to bring your own pumpkin(s) and gut them beforehand to save on time. For complete rules, visit the event page on AIGA’s website.
(GUTS/ABC Uptown) 11434 Uptown Ave., cleveland.aiga.org
