One of the most exquisite garden parties and markets of the summer returns to the majestic Madoo Conservancy on Friday, June 15.
Much Ado About Madoo will kick-off with a Garden Cocktail Party – taking place from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. The Garden Market will follow on Saturday, June 16 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
“In its 8th year Much Ado About Madoo continues to be one of the most beautiful parties of the season,” shared Alejandro Saralegui, Director of The Madoo Conservancy. “We have a host of wonderful new vendors and the garden has never looked better!”
This year’s soiree will honor Jane Iselin who is retiring as Madoo board president after helming Madoo for the past six years. Those that attend the Friday evening benefit will also have first access to the more than two dozen premier vendors – who will showcase an array of exceptional items that range from plants to home and garden antiques to men’s and women’s fashion to gourmet delicacies, and more. The Garden Party will also include a live auction led by Jamie Niven with the chance to bid on spectacular prizes like a Billy Sullivan pet photo portrait commission, gardening books from the library of Mrs. Paul Mellon donated by Madoo board member and interior designer Charlotte Moss, eight sacks of chicken manure – which are always a hit – and more. A pendant pair of flower paintings on paper from Robert Dash’s 2001 Florilegium series will also be for sale.
“Who doesn’t love to see Jamie Niven auction off chicken manure?” Saralegui pondered.
2018 Much Ado About Madoo vendors will include Pennoyer Newman, Madison James, Bask, Neelah Cahsmere, Sag Harbor Florist Mentis Estate, and more.
Additionally, Animal Rescue Fund of the Hamptons’ ARFRESCUELOVE, photographs by Francine Fleischer, will be on view. The opening reception will coincide with the Garden Party. Part of ARF’s new social media campaign, #ARFRESCUELOVE aims to expand upon the awareness of the organization’s rescue missions, as well as highlight ARF’s mission and the ARFans themselves. The campaign is the brainchild of ARF adopter and ad expert Neil Kraft (who is responsible for those iconic Marky Mark and Kate Moss Calvin Klein ads) along with the assistance of ARF board member Amy Sullivan.
“Being an ARF parent, I was so happy when Amy Sullivan asked me to take part in the campaign,” Fleischer reflected. “When I heard that I would be working with her and Neil Kraft, it made it all the better.”
ARFRESCUELOVE was shot at ARF over the winter. “Before I started shooting for the campaign, I knew that ARF did wonderful work, but I was really unaware of the scope and magnitude of their efforts,” Fleischer said. “I was unaware of the rescue missions from meat factories in China and puppy mills throughout the country. I was unaware of their medical wing and the volume of animals that come through ARF each week and get such wonderful care from everyone on the staff. It is truly remarkable.”
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Cassandra is currently available for adoption at ARF. (Photo: Francine Fleischer) |
For the exhibition, Fleischer photographed 60 cats and dogs that were awaiting their forever homes at ARF – using shelter staff as assistants. “Photographing portraits is about connection. The most wonderful and trickiest part of shooting this project was falling in love so many times with my subjects and not taking them all home with me, although it’s something that I fantasize about,” Fleischer shared. “Might need to get a bigger house.”
“We are delighted to be collaborating with ARF this season,” Saralegui added. “Francine Fleischer’s photographs of adoptable pets are wonderful and will look amazing in the summer studio.”
Madoo is also donating ten percent of ticket sales to ARF, and ten percent of purchases from the Garden Market will support Madoo.
“ARF is very fortunate to have a tremendous group of supporters and adopters who would do just about anything for their pets and we are extremely grateful for this collaboration by Neil, Francine, Amy and Melissa with #ARFrescuelove!” Jamie Berger, Director of Marketing & Communications, Animal Rescue Fund of the Hamptons, Inc. (ARF), relayed. More images from #ARFRESCUELOVE can be seen at arfhamptons.org.
Tickets for the Garden Party start at $125 for those under 30, $200 for members, and $225 for non-members. Admission to the Garden Market on Saturday is free.
“I can’t wait to see how people take our theme ‘Be the Bloom’ to dress up for the garden cocktail party,” Saralegui added.
The Madoo Conservancy was founded by artist, gardener, and writer Robert Dash in 1967. The organization is committed to “the study, preservation, and enhancement of Madoo.”
Madoo Conservancy is located at 618 Sagg Main Street in Sagaponack. For more information, visit www.madoo.org.
