Rutabaga Ball Kinetic Universe

Fundraiser and community engagement for Kinetic Universe

2019-2024

Humboldt County California

Event Production: Produced the annual "Rutabaga Ball," a high-energy fundraising gala supporting the historic Kinetic Sculpture Race (a 50+ year Humboldt County tradition).

Pageant Coordination: Managed the multi-round Rutabaga Queen contest, overseeing contestant logistics for the Q&A, Talent, and "Water Crossing" competition segments.

Fundraising & Operations: Successfully executed the event as a primary fundraiser for the race, managing food and beverage operations (cocktails, beer, and catering) to maximize revenue.

Community Engagement: Curated an immersive atmosphere of "glorious chaos" that engaged the local community, honoring the eccentric spirit of the Kinetic tradition while maintaining structured event flow.

A spectacular "triathlon of art" where engineering meets eccentricity. The Kinetic Sculpture Race is a historic Humboldt tradition where mobile sculptures tackle land, sand, and sea. Spanning three cities and three days, teams push their artistic and physical limits with a single goal in mind: For the Glory.

As the Logistics Manager, my role was to build the framework that allowed this high-energy, eccentric event to run smoothly without losing its traditional spark. I managed the end-to-end operations of the evening, ensuring the fundraiser met its financial goals while the pageant entertained the crowd.

Venue Transformation & Flow: Oversaw the complete setup of the venue to accommodate a hybrid event format: part formal gala, part rowdy rock show. This included designing floor plans that balanced seated viewing areas for the pageant with high-traffic standing room for the bar and social mingling.

Pageant Operations (The "Water Crossing"): Managed the complex backstage logistics for a three-round pageant, including the signature "Water Crossing" round. This involved coordinating stage props, water safety measures on stage, and quick changeovers between the Q&A, Talent, and Water segments to keep the show moving.

Bar & Vendor Operations: Directed the food and beverage logistics, a critical revenue stream for the fundraiser. I coordinated with local breweries and food purveyors to ensure adequate stock, efficient service lines, and compliance with liquor licensing laws during peak service hours.

Crisis Management: Served as the "calm within the storm," troubleshooting real-time issues—from technical audio glitches to crowd control—ensuring the event felt seamless to the attendees despite the chaotic nature of the performance art.

The Rutabaga Ball relies heavily on community goodwill. Managing this volunteer workforce required a unique leadership style that balanced fun with responsibility.

Strategic Staffing: Recruited and assigned volunteers to critical "non-glamorous" roles that kept the event running, including door staff, bar-backs, stagehands for prop removal, and the "Green Team" for waste management.

Contestant Wrangling: Designated specific volunteer teams to assist the Rutabaga Queen contestants, ensuring they made their cues and had support with elaborate costumes and props backstage.

Security Support: Coordinated volunteer "Safety Squads" to act as eyes and ears for professional security, helping to monitor crowd energy and ensure the "glory" didn't turn into liability.

Retention & Culture: Fostered a sense of ownership and fun among the crew. By ensuring volunteers felt like insiders in the Kinetic tradition rather than just free labor, I maintained a high retention rate of returning volunteers year after year.