It’s that time of year again: Tunes for Toucans!
We are so excited for the Tunes for Toucans Charity Concert and Silent Auction to return to Riverside Marketplace on Thursday, May 26th from 5:30 pm-9 pm.
What is Tunes for Toucans might you ask?
It is our annual benefit concert and silent auction that raises money for our main operations fund, #PapayaIsLife. We have a lot of mouths to feed, which means a lot of papayas, hence the name. This event is also close to our hearts as it gives us an opportunity to engage with our community and teach the local area about the work we do!
The fund covers everything from veterinary care, maintenance of enclosures, and food for over 250 animals!
Who will be performing?
We are so happy to be joined by Dr. Josh Quinlan and the Riverside Jazz Collective as well as our headliner, Costa Rican singer-songwriter, Sebas Guillem!
The Riverside Jazz Collective is a jazz workshop directed by National University professor Joshua Quinlan. The group consists of three saxophones, trumpet, bass, piano, and drums, and performs the music of Charles Mingus, John Coltrane, and other jazz legends.
Sebas’ inspiration comes from his beliefs and admiration for nature. He is also characterized by wanting to bring positive messages and well-being to people. Many of his influences come from genres like Jazz, R&B, Gospel, and Soul as well as acoustic/alternative music and the simplicity of a melody. Sebas’ musical career is focused not only on creating music but on using it as a platform for social good.
How does this event raise money?
Tickets to attend cost $16.00 and include live music and an appetizer and drink generously provided by Riverside Marketplace. Riverside is a Pizzeria & Gastropub with delicious Italian-style meals, wine, microbrews, and desserts. Make a date out of it and order multiple courses! There are only 100 tickets available, so buy yours today!
The Silent Auction will include items donated by businesses around Costa Rica and abroad, which in the past have included airline flights, an espresso machine, a bonsai tree, overnight resort stays, coffees, chocolates, and dinners, as well as handmade art and jewelry. Attendees can bid on items at a price lower than market value and 100% of the proceeds will go to Toucan Rescue Ranch. In addition, every dollar spent on the auction is Tax Deductible, both in the United States and Costa Rica.
T-Shirts will be for sale at the event for $15 and will have the black and white Toucan & Guitar design found on the event posters, created by our very own Marketing Intern, Emma!
If you cannot attend in person, we are also running a CustomInk T-Shirt sale online, which includes a color version of the design on multiple different shirt/sweatshirt options and ships internationally! Our goal is to sell 100 shirts to raise $1,000!
Our goal for Tunes for Toucans is to raise $4,000 total. When you purchase shirts, tickets, or bid on items, you help feed our permanent residents, you help provide emergency medical care and surgeries to all of our new arrivals, and you make it possible for us to transport wildlife to the release site in order to give them their second chance at life in the wild!
Take part in any/all of these to support the campaign!
