The Great Recession

On Saturday, July 31st the Flood Gallery is gearing up to Celebrate our current ‘Recession.’

by opening up. . . for one night only, the RIVER SPEAKEASY.

Join us under a giant lighted tent, right on the French Broad River in the River Arts District, as we crank it up for an evening of diminished cares – a brief reprieve from current hard times.

There will be food. . . (soup and cornbread)

(From the New York Times, during the great depression):

* "Soup kitchens and the missions state that they can always get meat scraps and day-old bread, frequently for nothing and always for very little, but the vegetables that make up the bulk of the soups and stews which they serve are few and far between, and those they can afford are poor and stale. Arrangements are being made to have baskets at the Grand Central and Pennsylvania Station to receive contributions of fruit and vegetables brough in on trains." ---"Urges Charity Gardens'," New York Times, April 14, 1932 (p. 18)



* "Three meals are served each day, including Sundays. Breakfast consists of coffee and a sweet roll, and dinner and supper of soup, bread and coffee, with a second or third helping permitted." ---"Capone Feeds 3,000 a Day in Soup Kitchen," New York Times, November 15, 1930 (p. 4)



* "Dozens of jobless men today received food from "soup kitchens" as the city opened temporary commisaries to care for hungry families. Mayor Hoan, a Socialist, ordered the old policy armory kitchen thrown open tomorrow as a municipal kitchen. Temporary headquarters gave bread, milk, cheese and coffee to the hungry today." ---"Milwaukee opens Soup Kitchens'," New York Times, March 6, 1930 (p. 24)



There will be drink:

Bathtub gin refers to any style of homemade spirit made in amateur conditions. The term first appeared in 1930, in the prohibition-era, in reference to the poor-quality alcohol that was being made.

As gin was the predominant drink in the Roaring 20’s, many variations were created by mixing cheap grain alcohol with water and flavorings and other agents, such as juniper berry juice and glycerin. Contrary to popular belief, the spirit was not made in a bathtub. Rather, because the preferred sort of bottle was too tall to be topped off with water from a sink, they were filled from a bathtub tap. Many other cocktails owe their life to bathtub gin, as they were also created in order to mask the awful taste.

And we will socialize:

The gangsters would then open up secret bars (speakeasies) for people to come in, drink, and socialize.

So join US –

Flood Gallery, The Firecracker Jazz Band, and Mary Castellaneta

And who knows? Maybe a visit from Al Capone!

And get $5.00 off the ticket price if you come dressed in period attire!
Opening Reception, November 7th, 7PM - 10PM