Hot Spot Music Patio Project

A street-side sanctuary and community space for all!

Thank you to the Northfield community for helping the Hot Spot Music patio project to transform a cracked, asphalt wasteland into a community gathering space for all. Our friends at Cannon Valley Concrete will be turning our asphalt patio into a welcoming sanctuary space for music teaching and performance, informal gatherings, or just a spot to pause for a moment and take a load off. This space will be open to all as a place to host events, share music, chat with friends, or simply take a momentary rest in the shade.

What are we up to?

• Phase 1 ($18,000) - Knecht’s Nurseries and Landscaping created the rendering above which includes a series of three colored concrete “area rugs” to break up the space and define three performance and/or gathering zones, a proper bike rack on the north (8th Street) side of the building, a pergola, a seating area for shaded respite, and a ramp at the south door for easier wheelchair access.

• Phase 2 ($7,000) - Phase 2 (pending how much we can raise) Cannon Valley Concrete, LLC will reduce the egregious size of our two driveways and replace with plantings to form a natural traffic barrier and street-side sanctuary for pedestrians and patrons. The Division Street driveway will be replaced entirely with a continuous pollinator corridor connecting our existing garden to our neighbor’s. The 8th Street driveway will be reduced to a ”normal” driveway width, creating space for additional pollinator plantings and Free Food Help Yourself gardens. We’ll still maintain a driveway for vehicle access from 8th Street for loading / unloading people and gear.

• Phase 3 (TBD) - We’ll set the fundraising goal at $25,000, but it doesn’t stop there. Hot Spot will pitch in for further enhancements including a pergola, some comfy furnishings, flower boxes, and other accoutrements to put on the finishing touches.

We will do everything we can to share our appreciation for your contributions to this collective community space. Here is how we will show our sincere thanks for your support:

• Any amount - Everyone who donates anything at all will be invited to a ribbon-cutting patio party featuring local musicians and local food at a festive community celebration.

• $200 and above - all of the above plus a very personal thanks including your choice of a 45-min. lesson, an original song composed just for you, or two hours of studio time. Sign up here.

• $500 and up - all of the above plus a special “gala” dinner and house concert featuring a well-known MN musician / friend of Hot Spot (artist tbd - those who donate at this level will get to vote!)

• $1000 and above - all of the above plus your favorite music quote tattooed on the Hot Spot - on the new patio, on the exterior wall, or somewhere inside. We’ll ponder with you the best way to do this.HOW to Participate

HOW TO PARTICIPATE

We are keeping this simple. We’ll keep track of progress on this website and lean on the goodwill over the past nine years of friends, music and community to help make this happen. You can donate to our cause in one of two ways:

• Send a check or cash to 801 Division Street, Northfield, MN 55057

• Donate via our Venmo handle which is @HotSpotMusic (last four phone digits are 3451)

track our progress: