When a job relocation threatened to take Rich and Amy Johnson out of Berks County, they tapped into their shared lifetime passions of art, music and aesthetics to create an event management company, Pollen Consolidated. Now they are sharing those passions by making music, art and even craft beer more accessible to their local community.
Q: What is Pollen Consolidated and how did it get its start? We are an arts and entertainment event company based here in Reading. My wife, Amy, and I have been running the business for nearly six years now. Amy spent more than a decade planning corporate events, and I worked nearly 20 years as a deejay. When we learned that Amy’s company was moving to Boston, we had no interest in relocating, so we decided to start this business. It’s been a great adventure ever since.
Q: What kind of events do you specialize in? There’s not much we don’t do; our service menu is really crafted out of our passions. We do gallery openings, silent discos, music and beer festivals and art shows. And we offer other services like stage production, bookings, 3D projection mapping, and various virtual reality experiences. We’re also very proud of the work we do here in Reading. We organize the First Friday Downtown beer garden and host the Concerts in the Park music series in West Reading. We also do a lot of food truck festivals with our friends at Food Truck Craze.
Q: Can you tell me a little bit about the downtown beer garden? On first Fridays throughout the summer we set up at Fifth and Penn in Reading and bring in a food truck, two bands – usually one local and one larger regional band – and we set up an interactive art station in addition to a beer garden and pop-up cocktail bar. We have great partners in the Greater Reading Chamber Alliance, Performance Toyota and the DoubleTree so that every month our event can also benefit a local non-profit. Last year, we were able to donate proceeds to the Reading Public Library, Barrio Alegria and Berks Encore.
Q: What about Concerts in the Park? On the third Sunday of the month we host a concert at the West Reading Park Pavilion to benefit the West Reading Recreation Commission. Like the First Friday events, we bring in two bands, and we also partner with the Lancaster Circus School to have them perform routines throughout the day. And, of course, we bring in food trucks and the beer garden and cocktail bar with support from Sly Fox Brewing Company, Manatawny Still Works and The Beer Wall on Penn (provided that we're able to plan as we desire considering the COVID-19 pandemic). We’re also very excited to be adding a Hydra Artist Studios art market to each event this year.
Q: What has it been like working with the community in Berks? I moved here a little over 20 years ago, and the creative community that I found here is really what kept me in Reading. I’ve met some of the greatest artistic collaborators that I’ve ever known here. It was a great place then, and it’s an even better place now. I’m excited that we can raise our kids here and be part of the conversation about how this community reshapes itself.
Grab a Seat.
In addition to benefitting local organizations, First Fridays and Concerts in the Park are always free to attend. The Johnsons want to let everyone know, “they have a place at the table.”
Mark Your Calendar.
The summer events run monthly through September. For details follow @PollenConsolidated on Facebook or join their mailing list at pollenconsolidated.com.
