A Midsummer Night’s Green is USGBC National Capital Region’s biggest event of the year, and one of our most important. With over 300 attendees expected on July 20th at the Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater, A Midsummer Night’s Green is our major annual fundraiser, and proceeds provide essential support for our educational programming, advocacy initiatives, and community service projects.
The evening includes the presentation of our Community Leader Awards, which recognize the most innovative local high-performance buildings and inspiring volunteers and organizations, designated networking time before and following the awards presentation ceremony, and a VIP pre-reception for event sponsors, USGBC-NCR annual partners, and other leaders in the industry. Attendees will enjoy delicious hors d’oeuvres and an open bar, and will have the opportunity to snap a souvenir picture in our photo booth and (this just in!) experience a virtual reality display provided by Grimm and Parker.
Planning for such a large and significant event with so many moving parts is a monumental task, to say the least. USGBC-NCR is fortunate and proud to have a group of dedicated volunteers willing to take on this challenge. The A Midsummer Night’s Green Host Committee was formed earlier this spring. An open call was announced in our newsletter, and six individuals were selected out of a competitive applicant pool. Together with our two Market Leadership Advisory Board (MLAB) liaisons, meet your A Midsummer Night’s Green Host Committee:
Giuliana Kunkel, DC Sustainable Energy Utility (DC SEU) (Host Committee Co-Chair)
Susan Dawson, GHT Limited (Host Committee Co-Chair)
Jason O’Neill, Johnson Controls
Lida Lewis, HKS Architects (USGBC-NCR MLAB liaison)
Marissa Mitzner, Healthy Buildings (USGBC-NCR MLAB liaison)
Spencer Schecht, DC Sustainable Energy Utility (DC SEU)
Since their kick-off meeting in April, the Host Committee has been working nonstop to make this A Midsummer Night’s Green one of the best yet. One of their first tasks was to choose the theme and “look” for the evening. After thoughtful discussion, they opted for a classic Shakespearean take on the event’s title, a fitting choice given that the venue (along with all the world) is a stage. Attendees can look forward to an evening of magic and whimsy, as is reflected in the event’s feature image, which was created with Committee input.
As A Midsummer Night’s Green is a fundraiser, another of the Host Committee’s earliest responsibilities was to help decide sponsorship levels and benefits, and they are currently engaged in a final push to identify leading organizations in the local building industry to bring on board as sponsors. The Host Committee selected the menu for the evening and provided direction on the event program. They are also playing a key role in promotion (check out Susan Dawson’s recent blog post on USGBC’s policies for sustainable events planning!) Most recently, the Host Committee toured the Arena Stage to provide feedback on the layout and flow of evening and also on ways to further incorporate the theme.
USGBC-NCR is grateful for the time, energy, and commitment of our Host Committee, and we’re excited to see their efforts come together on July 20th at the DC region’s 16th annual A Midsummer Night’s Green. Our Host Committee will be on hand, working behind the scenes – and the registration desk – making sure the event is a success. We hope you’ll be there as well to enjoy the evening and say "thank you" in person!