Gather 2,000 of the city's youngest, hippest and most creative together on a summer night in Bloomfield and you get Hothouse Maximum Fun, a party of legendary proportions. Now in its eighth year, the benefit has grown from a little sprout into a beanstalk of a bash. In that way it mirrors the Sprout Fund, which gives seed money to smaller community projects and public art.

Each year the nonprofit finds a new location for its benefit, but it will be hard to top the former Don Allen dealership on the corner of Liberty and Baum. Annexing the old used car lots across both streets created the perfect venue for a county fair/carnival-themed evening on Aug. 28. Event architect Thommy Conroy and event production team members Scott Nelson and Rob Long from Clear Story displayed endless imagination and a great sense of humor in creating the party environment. Anybody want to play the Ring Toss of Death? A midway joined a Vaudeville stage, Hall of Innovation and other sites that showcased Sprout Fund projects.

Parkhurst catered the affair and gets kudos for watering the herd so efficiently. Many local purveyors donated carnival-themed food, including a booth offering fresh-baked pie and ice cream. It was a night of great local music and dancing with the entertainment provided by "virtuoso soloists, daring DJs, classic cabaret acts and extraordinary combos." In short, Maximum Fun.

First Published: September 15, 2010, 8:00 a.m.