FAB Showcase organizers elated by attendance
The number of people who attended the Fine Arts and Beyond (FAB) Showcase at Butler Intermediate High School on Saturday evening returned to pre-pandemic levels, much to the delight of the students and organizers involved in the 20-year-old event.
The FAB Showcase saw more than 1,000 pieces of art created by students of all ages throughout the Butler Area School District displayed at the Intermediate High School, and many were auctioned.
The event is a fundraiser for the Golden Tornado Scholastic Foundation.
John Reddick, vice president of the foundation’s board of directors, said about 2,000 people braved windy weather Saturday to check out the art and hear the music students provided.
He said the event raised more than $40,000, which also reflects pre-pandemic numbers.
The biggest part of the amount raised came from the event’s sponsors, he said.
“There are certain businesses in Butler that are very generous and dedicated to the foundation,” Reddick said. “They come back year after year.”
He named MSA in Cranberry Township, Highmark and David and Amelia Grubman as top sponsors for the showcase.
Reddick was thrilled when he peeked into the school’s auditorium and saw about 70% of the seats filled with people listening to bands from four or five Butler Area elementary schools.
‘I don’t remember that many people (being) in the auditorium at one time during FAB,” he said.
Reddick said many others enjoyed the string ensemble that performed in the school’s hallway as attendees perused the artwork.
