Get your (donkey) kicks while you can.
DNC Host Committee Chairman Ed Rendell announced Wednesday that the Donkeys Around Town will be removed from the city on Aug. 23. Fifty-two of the 57 donkeys, each of which represented a state or territory’s Democratic delegation, will be shipped to their home state. The remainder will be put up for auction at a later date. Two donkeys have already been taken: California and Alabama.
Produced by ArtJawnand Mural Arts Project, the fiberglassdonkeys were painted by local artists to represent the 50 states, Washington, D.C., and six U.S.territories.
Standing behind his favorite donkey—Kansas—the former governor praised the project’s wild success.
“They wereextraordinarily popular with delegates and guests of the convention, and remarkably popular with the residents of the Greater Philadelphia Area,” Rendell said in what he called the “last donkey press conference.” Angela Val, deputy executive director with the host committee said the donkeys had 2.5 million impressions onInstagram, and a potential reach of 36.8 million people on Twitter.
“The donkeys are beloved,”saidMural Arts Program founder Jane Golden. “I cannot tell you how many people are reaching out to us about the donkeys. I walk around the city [and] I see families, they’re going from donkey to donkey … it’s fantastic. I love to see when art stirs up this kind of excitement and enthusiasm.” “It’s exciting to see this kind ofdonkey fever,” Golden said.
“It’s very clear to me when leaders and citizens come together in creativity and common purpose, and fearlessly and tenaciouslymake things happen, that is Philadelphia. This is the story of Philadelphia. Last week was a brilliant snapshot of why I love this city,” she added. In partnership with Mural Arts andArtJawn, the host committee facilitated a Donkeys Around Town scavenger hunt with a dedicated mobile app. Rendell said more than 2,300 people participated in the hunt, and there are more than 4,500Instagramposts tagged with “#DonkeysAroundTown.” ElenaCupingood, one winner of the scavenge hunt, said she liked the challenge and adventure of the hunt.
Cupingood’sfavorites include New Jersey, the District of Columbia and Texas.
“It’s really hard to pick,” she told Rendell.
According toArtJawn’srating system, the top jackasses are from Kansas, Nevada, New Mexico and North Carolina. The committee chairman said he loves Kansas’ donkey, which features red, glittered hooves and the faces of Dorothy andToto from “The Wizard of Oz.”
“I saw the movie when I was little, and Judy Garland was, you know …” Rendell said through a smile. “It’s a good-looking donkey. They did a great job.”
