Pinkard Helps Pull Off Surprise for Denver Film's Biggest Fundraiser

Last week, Denver Film—the same organization behind the Denver International Film Festival, Film on the Rocks, and the Sie Film Center—threw its annual Summer Scream fundraiser at Colorado's beloved Lakeside Amusement Park. While hard to describe, the night includes cinema-inspired installations and interactive performances (this year’s theme was the films of Winona Ryder), an open bar, and of course all the rides and vintage charm of Lakeside. It’s Denver Film’s biggest fundraising event of the year, not to mention the best party of the summer.

In a night full of surprises, the biggest highlight was slated to be an unannounced appearance from Denver-based experimental drum-corps Itchy-O, which is known for wowing audiences around the country with their wild costumes, pyrotechnics, and crowd-roving performances. The only problem: the 50+ person band needed a secret place to hide before their big entrance, and as a non-profit organization, Denver Film had no budget to pay the several thousand dollars they were quoted to put up temporary fencing around the open pavilion where Itchy-O could prepare.

Enter Pinkard Construction, which happens to be working up the street at 46th and Tennyson. When Denver Film reached out asking for help, we delivered 250 feet of the fencing and privacy coverings we usually use to brand our jobsites, allowing event organizers to shroud the band from unsuspecting passersby entering the amusement park, who probably assumed there was some sort of construction going on.

When Itchy-O did march onto the scene at dusk, complete with smoke machines, lasers and a futuristic neon dragon, the shocked crowd went crazy. The surprise was a success.

“Pinkard was crucial to the success of Summer Scream,” says Denver Film Events Specialist Esther Lopez. “Thanks to their team, Itchy-O was able to pull off a special surprise and crash our party!"

“While Pinkard doesn’t have any plans to get deeper into event production,” says Pinkard President Tony Burke with a smile, “we loved being able to creatively assist a local non-profit in their mission of inspiring and surprising Colorado movie lovers.”

Check out photos of this year's Summer Scream, including Itchy-O's performance, below.