To be on sale June 16 at ‘Raise the Roofs’ event
Friends of Franklin Parks, LLC, will debut its new Vintage Franklin poster of The Park at Harlinsdale Farm as part of the festivities of the inaugural “Raise the Roofs” benefit, set for Saturday, June 16, under a tent at the Park at Harlinsdale Farm.
The fundraiser is being presented by Franklin Synergy Bank, with additional sponsorship by AXA Advisors, Five Points Roofing, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, and Tennessee Equine Hospital.
The event is planned from 3-7 p.m., with a program at 5 p.m., on the history of the farm and its importance to Franklin’s past as well as to Middle Tennessee’s equine history.
Vintage Franklin is a collaborative effort, born from the minds of two local, Franklin residents. Kirk Johnson, of 323 Design and Julian Bibb, of JLB, LLC have owned and operated separate businesses in the City of Franklin in Williamson County Tennessee for more than eight years.
The Historic Barn at The Park at Harlinsdale Farm serves as the centerpiece of the poster, which measures 18 inches wide by 24 inches tall. Horses graze in front of the white barn, which is topped by a weathervane and cupola.
The first day to buy the posters will be on June 16, during the Raise the Roofs event. Posters sold that day will have a special seal denoting they were from the first day of sale.
Johnson is also donating his original sketches of the project to Friends of Franklin Parks, LLC, to be sold as part of an Art Show & Sale being curated by the Williamson County Cultural Arts Commission. The sale will feature art depicting the Park at Harlinsdale Farm, area landscapes, equestrians or Historic Franklin. If you are an artist and interested in participating, please contact Massood Taj of the Williamson County Cultural Arts Commission at massoodtaj@yahoo.com.
Food vendors committed for the June 16 event include Boxwood Bistro, Stoveworks, Sperry’s, Puckett’s Gro. & Restaurant, Amerigo, Cool Café, Embassy Suites Hotel, Southern City Flavors and Constant Craving Caterers, to name a few. The Franklin Farmers’ Market, which is held every Tuesday at The Park at Harlinsdale Farm, is coordinating creation of a “farm-to-table” salad course. Cowgirl Cupcakes is providing an array of delicious cupcake flavors topped by chocolate horses.
As well as great food, attendees will have a chance to tour the property, see horses on the site and play croquet, bocce ball and horseshoes in an activity area near the Historic Barn. Diamond Hitch, an up-and-coming band which has played several Nashville venues, will provide music for the event.
Partner sponsors for the event include Boxwood Bistro, Boyle Investments and Southern Events. Ragan Smith Associates, Franklin Equine Services, and Williamson County Farmer’s Co-Op are Gold sponsors, along with Stites & Harbison, Barge Waggoner Sumner Cannon, the Williamson Herald and YOUR Magazine.
Tickets for “Raise the Roofs” will be $75 per person or $100 to be a patron. Tickets are on sale now online athttp://raisetheroofs.eventbrite.com. Contact FoFP Executive Director Mindy Tate at (615) 794-0998 for more information.
The Historic Barn and the Hayes’ Farmhouse on the site are both in need of new roofs to stop further deterioration of the structures which date back to the mid 20th century. Prior to the 2006 purchase of the 200-acre farm by the City of Franklin, Harlinsdale Farm was known as the birthplace of the Walking Horse industry in Tennessee and was a horse breeding farm and home of the legendary “Midnight Sun,” who stood stud for 25 years at the property.
The Park at Harlinsdale Farm is on the National Register of Historic Places and the property is protected with a conservation easement held by the Land Trust for Tennessee.
The cost of roofing the two main structures at the Park at Harlinsdale Farm — the barn and the Harlin Hayes’ home — is expected to exceed funding budgeted by the City of Franklin. Through this benefit and other pledges, Friends of Franklin Parks, LLC, hopes to partner with the City and other organizations to help in stopping the ravages of time on these structures.
Friends of Franklin Parks was created for private donors to make tax-deductible contributions to fund improvements of area recreational facilities and preserve the cultural and natural resources of our community for future generations. Other priorities of Friends of Franklin Parks, LLC, and Franklin Tomorrow include implementation of the city’s adopted Open Space and Greenway Plan to create greater connectivity among parks and throughout the city.
Friends of Franklin Parks, LLC, is a partner organization with Franklin Tomorrow, Inc., which was founded in 2001 by a group of community leaders for the purpose of initiating and implementing a broad-based, community driven vision for Franklin’s future. Learn more about both organizations at www.franklintomorrow.org.