The Bundy Museum of History and Art hosted Bundy Fest last Saturday, a day-long fundraiser of music, food and art in response to the museum’s major donor loss. Binghamton artists, musicians and community members came together to support the Bundy, with opportunities to participate in raffles, enjoy live music and purchase art, with many profits going directly to the Museum.

What was once a home to Harlow E. Bundy in 1892 who helped produce time recording clocks alongside his brother, Willard L. Bundy, the Bundy Museum opened in 2004 and has since been a cultural hub for the local community and Binghamton University students alike.

The Museum aims to teach, celebrate and preserve the work of the Bundy brothers while also giving visitors an insight into the history of Broome County. The Museum houses a variety of archival and research material, The Bundy Time Clock Exhibit, which details aspects about the Bundy Manufacturing Company, three rotating galleries featuring local history and art and more.

Saturday’s Bundy Fest featured fundraising events spread out around the museum, from inside the main building to the outdoor spaces as well. Attendees could hear live music from bands such as Tom Jolu, Stay off the Fence and Planet Smith at the Annex Stage and purchase barbecue provided by Grassroots Cafe under the annex awning.

Inside the main building, museumgoers could enter to win raffle baskets and participate in a 50/50 raffle, where the prize money would be split 50/50 between the winner and the Museum. On the third floor, attendees could purchase art pieces with 100 percent of the proceeds going to the Museum. On the second floor, attendees were able to bid on art made from burlap coffee bags provided by Laveggio Roasteria. Other activities included tarot readings, with all tarot reading proceeds benefiting the Bundy.

Alexis Tauterouff, darkroom manager at Binghamton Photo, a community darkroom and gallery space that operates under the Bundy, described how the Bundy Museum drew upon its existing network of supportive artists and musicians to participate in Bundy Fest.

“We have such an intense community of artists and musicians that just care so much about what we do here,” Tauterouff said. “We just put a thing out there on the internet, and we were overwhelmed with the number of people that wanted to come through for us.”

Peter Moolin, 29, of Johnson City, conveyed his experience at the Bundy Fest.

“It’s been awesome here today,” Moolin said. “This is probably the most packed I’ve ever seen this museum and just seeing the love from the community has been awesome. There’s food going on outside. There’s people wandering the museum. There’s people hanging out in the Annex over there listening to the music and checking out the cafe. It’s just really cool to see the community come out and support it.”

The Bundy Fest comes after the Bundy Museum’s founder, who contributed a large portion of funds for the Museum, was no longer able to contribute. According to a statement on the Bundy Museum’s website, the Museum receives its monetary support from sales, visitors, foundations, granting agencies, sponsorships and donors. As a result, the funding loss has taken a massive toll on the Museum’s financial viability.

Tauterouff explained the scope of Bundy’s recent funding loss.

“[In] September, our founder ended up experiencing a major financial crisis,” Tauterouff wrote. “He is about 50 percent of our funding here, so with that being compromised, we were put in a really, really tough spot. We are aiming for about 50,000 to give you a rough idea. It takes about 10,000 a month to keep the money operating. So we’re looking for today to kind of be a good Band-Aid to hold us over until this next grant writing season and then hopefully we can get something a little more sustainable from there.”

As a community-centered museum that prioritizes accessibility, the Bundy Museum serves as a crucial aspect of the Binghamton art scene. The Museum also runs the Binghamton Photo and WBDY-LP 99.5 FM, a community radio station.

Julia Laude, 29, of Binghamton, explained the importance of the Bundy Museum and its significance to the community.

“Binghamton has so much history, and I think it’s really important to preserve that history,” Laude said. “Yes, there is a story behind the house, but there’s so much more going on here at the Bundy. So, I think sometimes students [should] just educate yourself a little bit on the place where you live, go to school and go to work at.”

Tauterouff described why she was initially drawn to the Museum.

“My great-grandfather was a local writer, so that was the first thing that brought me to the Bundy was that he was a part of an [exhibition] here and I wanted to go see that,” Tauterouff said. “From there, I just completely fell in love with everything that we do here. I’ve said a million times — we’re the only people doing what we do here, right?”

To support the Bundy Museum, you can make a donation online at the Bundy Museum’s website or in person. To get involved with the Museum’s future events and activities, you can call (607) 772-9179 or email info@bundymuseum.org.