Spontaneous Construction 2009 was an all-day construction contest and street festival that took place on September 26th, 2009, at Home Resource. For its 5th year, SponCon ‘09 was based around a building contest in which contestants had six hours to use any of the materials from Home Resource to build the most beautiful, functional, musical, or generally amazing creations possible. An exciting array of prizes from local businesses throughout Missoula and greater Montana were awarded to contest winners at the SponCon Auction and Awards Gala (see below). SponCon ‘09 also featured live music all day (see lineup below) and a vibrant assortment of creative activities such as birdhouse building, the Art-a-Pult, the found object music studio, kids’ paint-a-door, vendor booths, and a silent auction. Altogether the SponCon festival was a smash success, and event proceeds helped fund our relocation efforts.

The SponCon Auction and Award Gala was an upscale evening event at which major prizes were awarded to SponCon building contest winners, on October 16th, at the Elks Lodge Ballroom in Missoula. Winners’ creations were auctioned off in a live auction by Missoula Mayor John Engen, alongside a silent auction of artworks by notable local artists known for their use of reused, recycled, and repurposed materials. The evening ended with live music by Cash for Junkers and dessert by Bernice’s Bakery. Altogether, sales of the live and silent auction items raised $7480 for our moving fund.

Click to view photos from Spontaneous Construction 2009

Click to view photos from Spontaneous Construction 2008

2009 CONTEST PRIZES:

• Best of Show: Overnight Backcountry Adventure for five – by DOGSLED! Yep – a unique opportunity to be pulled through the Montana winter wonderland by a team of exuberant young huskies that want nothing more than to dash through the snow!  From Eustance Pack and Tack – A $1400 value!

• Best Wearable Art: $100 Gift Certificate to Betty’s Divine
• River Rafting on Alberton Gorge – Trip for Two from Lewis and Clark Trail Adventures.
• Fly-fishing River Float with Joe Nickell, the Missoulian’s art critic and avid fly fisherman.  (He’ll take you on his raft and place you in the BEST Holes!)
• Zoo City Apparel t-shirts, hats, and more
• Gift Certificates to Scotty’s Table and other local restaurants

These prizes were awarded for such categories as:

• Best Work by Professional Builders
• Best Work by a Family
• Best Work by Under-12-year-olds
• Best Functional Art
• Best Musical Instrument

2009 Music Lineup

• David Boone

• Secret Powers
• The Workers
• Cottonwood Draw
• Andrea Harsell
• Tyson Ballew
• Ross Vorhees
  

• The Electric Dandelion
• Butter
• DJ Mermaid
• DJ Luka Brazzi

Please visit the SponCon ‘09 sponsors! We couldn’t do it without them!
Event Sponsors:
Simmons Media (The Trail 103.3, Jack FM, Fresh 104.5)
Gapwest Broadcasting (KYSS FM, The Blaze, The View 101.5, 930 Progressive Talk)
Big Sky Brewing
Cynical and Jaded Software Entrepreneurs
Bernice’s Bakery
NewWest.Net Missoula
Good Food Store

Major Award / Activity Sponsors:
Missoula Federal Credit Union
KBGA Missoula
The Missoula Independent
Eustance Pack and Tack
H&E Equipment

Minor Award / Activity Sponsors:
Mountain West Bank
Betty’s Divine
Joe Nickell
Patrick Montgomery
Portico Real Estate
MacArthur, Means & Wells, Architects
Hunting and Gathering
Merrill Lynch Missoula
Fill the Gap

Friends / Supporters:
Walking Stick Toys – Nature Boy
Scariano Construction
Powder Coating of Montana
Lewis and Clark Trail Adventures
Sheena Comer Winterer / Prudential Missoula
Scotty’s Table
Zoo City Apparel
Heritage Timber
Edge of the World
Missoula Bicycle Works
Ear Candy Music
Taco Del Sol
The Book Exchange
Hellgate Cyclery
Biga Pizza
Butterfly Herbs
DePuy Construction
Ruby’s Cafe
Allied Waste
Bitterroot Flower Shop