Flux Factory’s First-Ever Flux-a-Thon Brings Art Into the Streets

Members of team Turbografix 16, including Tommy Nguyen, center, a visual artist working with balloons and cloth, try out a new walk during the Flux-a-Thon.

Part of the Smiling Hogshead Ranch team's float crosses a blocked-off intersection.

Paraders file into Dutch Kills Green as they march from Flux Factory to Smiling Hogshead Ranch.

Before the Flux-a-Thon march, Flux Factory hosted costume and float building at their studio space in Long Island City.

Before the Flux-a-Thon march, Flux Factory hosted costume and float building at their studio space in Long Island City.

Abi Inman, of the Flux Cluckers, works on the team's float.

Anita Zaramella (right), a visual artist visiting from Italy, and Cait Davis, a former Flux Factory artist-in-residence, work on pieces of the float for The Tower of Babel team.

Maya Suess (left) works on her makeup as a member of Team Hair Metal.

Maya Suess works on her makeup and hair as a member of Team Hair Metal.

Flux-a-Thon participants admire the costume of a Turbografix 16 team member.

Abigail Entsminger, a Flux Factory artist-in-residence and member of the Tower of Babel team, waits for the Flux-a-Thon parade to start.

Cait Davis, a former Flux Factory artist-in-residence, waits for the parade to start.

Onlookers photograph the passing floats.

Onlookers photograph the passing floats as The Order of the Penguin passes with their mobile bar.

The Cave team pulls along the P.C.U., or Personal Cave Unit, a "meditative earthen chamber on wheels."

The Cave team pulls along the P.C.U., or Personal Cave Unit, a "meditative earthen chamber on wheels."

The Smiling Hogshead Ranch team rides their floats along the parade route.

Members of the Smiling Hogshead Ranch team stop at a patch of soil to sow sunflower seeds along the route. The team regularly paused to till and sow small plots along the route, and to spread seed bombs.

Members of Team Science pose for a photograph.

Lena Hawkins (left) and Caroline Partamian, members of Team Hair Metal, rock out along the parade route.

NYPD was on hand to help block traffic and move the parade along the route, which led through Long Island City from Flux Factory to Smiling Hogshead Ranch.

Seth Timothy Larson and other members of the Tower of Babel team pause to add more height to their float.

The Tower of Babel team passes Dutch Kills Green as they march along the parade route.

Members of The Order of the Penguin pass under the 7 line near Queensboro Plaza.

Winston Elsworth, age 7, marches with his team members in Team Hair Metal.

The Flux Cluckers march along the parade route

Lena Hawkins marches ahead of Team Hair Metal's dragon float.

Members of The Order of the Penguin march along the parade route.

Members of the Tower of Babel team stop at an intersection to add more height to their float.

Flux-a-Thon participants march through Long Island City.

Long Island City residents and commuters watch the passage of the Flux-a-Thon parade.

Jennifer Plewka of Smiling Hogshead Ranch pushes part of the team's float, a giant pig head that also tills soil, along the parade route.

Jonah Levy of Team Science practices science outside of MoMA PS1, along the parade route.

Onlookers watch the Flux-a-Thon parade.

Jennifer Plewka (right) of the Smiling Hogshead Ranch team tills soil along the parade route.

A Flux-a-Thon participant at the finish of the parade route.

Flux-a-Thon participants gather at the entrance to Smiling Hogshead Ranch, the finish of the parade route.

The Flux Cluckers.

Team Science

Team Hair Metal

The Order of the Penguin

Scott Hirst shares beverages with other members of The Order of the Penguin.

Smiling Hogshead Ranch

The Tower of Babel

Flux-a-Thon participants pose for a photo with their police escorts at the entrance to Smiling Hogshead Ranch, the finish of the parade route.

The awards on display at the finish of the Flux-a-Thon parade route.

The Noble Prize (not to be mistaken with the Nobel Prize), which adorns the float for Team Science.

Team Science shows off their float to the guest judges, including Paddy Johnson (left, with megaphone), founder and editorial director of Art F City, and Hrag Vartanian, co-founder and editor-in-chief of Hyperallergic.

Paddy Johnson (center), founder and editorial director of Art F City; Kevin Balktick (left), co-focunder of FIGMENT; Hrag Vartanian (second from right), co-founder and editor-in-chief of Hyperallergic; Harriet Taub (right), executive director of Materials for the Arts; and Connie Wang (not pictured), fashion features director for Refinery 29, guest judged the teams' floats and costumes.

A member of Smiling Hogshead Ranch explains the team's float and activities during the parade.

Winston Elsworth, age 7, as the judges inspect the floats.

Flux-a-Thon participants relax after the parade with food and beverages at the Smiling Hogshead Ranch rban farm in Long Island City.

The awards came in a variety of shapes and sizes, all covered in liberal amounts of glitter.

Flux-a-Thon participants relax after the parade with food and beverages at the Smiling Hogshead Ranch rban farm in Long Island City.

Jennifer Plewka (center) of Smiling Hogshead Ranch receives the award on behalf of her team for "Best Smelling Party Venue."

Carina Kaufman-Gutierrez (left) and Caroline Partamian (right) receive the "Kicking Ass Award" for helping to organize the Flux-a-Thon, presented by Oriana Leckert (center).

The Flux Cluckers accept the award for "Best Handouts."

Scott Hirst of The Order of the Penguin accepts the award for "Most Money Raised" for his team, which raised nearly $2,000.

Scott Hirst of The Order of the Penguin accepts the award for "Most Money Raised" for his team, which raised nearly $2,000.