Food Fun(d), One Spark want to give you money!

[Metro Jacksonville]

Food Fun(d), One Spark want to give you money!



If you have an idea, we want to give you money!! The creators of Jaxsons Night Market and Jax Truckies have partnered with One Spark to host a joint event combining Food Fun(d) with a Creator meetup on December 9th and applicants are being sought to pitch an idea to a group of people and win a crowdfunded pot of money.


Read More: http://www.metrojacksonville.com/article/2014-nov-food-fund-one-spark-want-to-give-you-money

[fieldafm]

Ugh. Can we please get some new ideas? Kind of over every event now revolving around food trucks, crowd funding, "creators", pitches, and/or One Spark.  This is getting tired.

I know what you mean.  Who wants to hear more success stories like this, anyway?

"The impact on Vagabond Coffee was massive. It helped to establish a relationship with The Barnett, where we will be opening our flagship location. I am so grateful for the exposure and doors that were opened from being involved with Food Fun(d)."
-Will Morgan from Vagabond Coffee, on winning the first Food Fun(d).

For the non-detractors... encourage you to apply if you have an idea that can help make Jacksonville a better place. Applications are due by Dec 1st and can be accessed at:  http://goo.gl/forms/V7BgNegAqg

[tufsu1]

Ugh. Can we please get some new ideas? Kind of over every event now revolving around food trucks, crowd funding, "creators", pitches, and/or One Spark.  This is getting tired.

I have a new idea.  You could create your own event.

[Jax native]

Ugh. Can we please get some new ideas? Kind of over every event now revolving around food trucks, crowd funding, "creators", pitches, and/or One Spark.  This is getting tired.

Agreed..........How many more online wedding venues from Tampa, FL do we need? 

[Tacachale]

My idea is to bring together all the people who never do anything themselves, but just criticize other peoples' ideas and projects in online forums. It will be called Jax Whine Fest and if it attracts even a tiny fraction of the target demographic it will be the region's biggest event, topping the Players in attendance.

[tufsu1]

^ perhaps that applies to some posters.  But many of us are very involved in the community and are making things happen...for example, Mike Field (the guy putting on the Food Fun(d) event, is a regular poster.

[Downtown Osprey]

I eagerly await the next festival you are currently planning to help solve this issue of the same old same old downtown.

[Tacachale]

^ perhaps that applies to some posters.  But many of us are very involved in the community and are making things happen...for example, Mike Field (the guy putting on the Food Fun(d) event, is a regular poster.

Definitely not talking about all posters, just the ones who whinge while never doing anything of their own. People like Mike are by no means the target audience of Jax Whine Fest.

My idea is to bring together all the people who never do anything themselves, but just criticize other peoples' ideas and projects in online forums. It will be called Jax Whine Fest and if it attracts even a tiny fraction of the target demographic it will be the region's biggest event, topping the Players in attendance.

THIS is the reason downtown fails.  Anytime someone brings critical thought to the circle-jerk love fest, then they are a "hater" or someone who "never does anything" themselves. No one ever dares challenge anything for fear of disrupting what the chosen tastemakers have deemed the "right" thing.

You don't know me. You don't know what i have done for this city. You don't know of the events and festivals i have helped run and/or plan.

It is my opinion that the begging me for money because you cant successfully start your own business and/or attract capital "crowdfunding" is a tired and played out concept. We literally have an entire festival dedicated to this. If you disagree, that's great. I'd love to have a real conversation about it. But the, "then go plan your own" or "what have you done" is literally the intellectually laziest reply possible.

Most everyone here jumped down my throat when I pointed out that that recent music festival (which was so bad I cant even remember its name) was going to be a flop, saying exactly what you just said, Tacahale.  In the end, I was right. Am i glad for that? no, I am not. I wish it would've been better planned-- which is why people offer criticism.  If you can't take off your "oh my god everything that goes on downtown is awesome simply by virtue of being downtown and don't dare say otherwise" blinders, then be my guest. But, the end result is that nothing improves when everyone is just telling everyone else how awesome they are and offers no critical input.

In my experience, people respond better to criticism when it doesn't come off as unspecific or whiny. Whether you intended it this way or not, that's how your comments sound. And you're right, we have no idea who you are or what you've done, since you haven't said. Anonymity makes comments like the above all the harder to take as constructive.

This:

I think a better way of phrasing my original statement would be: I wish downtown would move beyond crowdfunding-centric events. 1) they are played out to me due to One Spark; 2) I am personally sick of people who can't get a business going who are, essentially, just panhandling with better aesthetics. 

That said, if people want to go to these events and want to part with their money, then I really don't care. I am simply saying, for me, I would like to see a little more variety. That's all.

...is more likely to be taken to heart.

[fieldafm]

And, Field, didn't you have something to do with Jaxson's? that is a very good event.

Yes, I run Jaxsons Night Market 100% by myself, and I work a '9-5' that takes up around 60 hours a week. Thank you for the kind words regarding Jaxsons.

I wish downtown would move beyond crowdfunding-centric events.

To your point, there have been two One Spark festivals and one Food Fun(d) event. Tuesday is the second Food Fun(d). What other crowdfunding-centric events have been held downtown (or anywhere in Jacksonville)?



Food Fun(d), btw, is a take on Detroit Soup. I've met the people that run Detroit Soup. They are super nice and passionate people that are 100% dedicated to making Detroit a better place. They were inspired by an organization in Chicago called InCUBATE (which is a very loose arts organization). Being someone that has a day job with long hours and (very) high stress levels, I'm always fascinated by the power simple ideas can have on one's community.

I thought the very first OneSpark festival in 2012 would be an overhyped flash in the pan. I was wrong. I took off a week from work, rented a hotel room downtown and soaked in (quite literally) every second of OneSpark 2013: from Melissa Ross' radio show every morning to finally passing out around 3am every day of the festival. It was one of the top 10 moving experiences of my life. Partnering with the people at OneSpark for Food Fun(d) to help 'keep the spark alive' during the year seemed like a no-brainer.

I've traveled a lot. I've worked with stakeholders in various other cities on work projects. In all of these experiences I have been lucky to share, I have found that whether a community can get sh*t done or merely stand in place has hinged on whether the qualities of leadership, vision and (most importantly) collaberation have merged.

Sometimes, it's better to participate. And no matter what your skillset, income level or status in society is... you can still do cool things when you participate and collaberate with others. I am the epitome of nothing special. The people that started Detroit Soup were a motley group that included a photographer, a dj, a person that made short films online and a playwright.. and they wound up traveling to the White House and received significant funding to continue their successful and democratically selected micro-grant program that has fueled some really awesome ideas throughout Detroit.

[johnnyliar]

 

[fieldafm]

No offense taken. I don't want drama.

I just want people to know they can hang out on the riverfront this Tuesday, pay a $1 and potentially help someone with their idea. Pretty rewarding all the way around if you ask me.

[Noone]

Positive Event.

[InnerCityPressure]

Direct product of the first Food Fun(d).

http://jacksonville.com/business/2014-12-05/story/vagabond-coffees-caravan-has-bandwagon-supporters

[fieldafm]

Direct product of the first Food Fun(d).

http://jacksonville.com/business/2014-12-05/story/vagabond-coffees-caravan-has-bandwagon-supporters

Thanks ICP!

Encourage you all to come out Tuesday evening. $1 admission fees add up if enough people show up. There will be six different ideas being pitched, all of which have merit. With your help, at least one of these ideas can go from the drawing board to reality.

[fieldafm]

Event is tonight. This is a powerful way to part with a single dollar bill. Six Creators will pitch an idea among the categories of technology, art, music, health & science, education and social good. Based on your votes, one of those will walk away with money to help turn that idea into reality.

Even if you can't stay the entire time, drop by and drop your dollar into the bucket. The weather should be clear and crisp along the riverfront tonight. We'll hot food, coffee, heating lamps and for people like me that don't like coffee.. bourbon, to keep you warm.