(Photo Courtesy Jeremy Olson)
Every Tuesday, Dark Clouds Tifo Queen Doreen Hartzell puts together a tifo guide, recap, or other thoughts on tifo for you to enjoy. Take it away Doreen….
Make Art. Watch Soccer. Be Awesome.
Every banner, flag, and everything else that shows up in the supporter’s section at a Minnesota United game happens because someone made it. We’ve made this handy guide to getting involved in making your own tifo.
Many hands make light work.
The easiest way to start getting involved in tifo is to help with our big gameday displays. About a week or more out from a game, we’ll announce our upcoming tifo parties where you can hang out with friends and make cool big stuff.
If you want an even lighter involvement to start with, you can sign up for gameday volunteer spots and help us bring our tifo paraphernalia into the stadium and get it all back to its trailer home safely at the end of the night. Click here to see which gameday volunteer positions are open and you could sign up for.
Got ideas?
Send them to tifo@dark-clouds.com, or send an email asking to join our Secret Facebook Group where we talk about ideas for upcoming projects all season long. Your idea can be a traditional painted tifo or something more creative; Painted banners, skits, giant puppets, sock puppets, buntings, digital art we can produce… bring it – let’s do it.
Make a flag!
New this year in merch this year, the tifo crew has been putting together flag kits with everything you need to make your own awesomeness for the section. We’ve got kits for all sizes of Dark Clouds, whether you want to wave a 2’x3’ flag or have a family craft party and make some 10”x15” ones for smaller hands.
You’ll be able to buy these flag kits at away game watch parties at the Nomad, starting May 7!
Got skills?
Next time you make a project, take a few process photos and write up a tutorial for us to add to our website. Send photos and text documentation to tifo@dark-clouds.com and tell us how you’d like to be credited for the article. Our first tifo guide on making two poles was written by someone just like you who learned as they went along.
Additional resources/Where to buy supplies
If you’re looking for ideas on where to get your own supplies…
S. R. Harris – This fabric warehouse has locations in both Brooklyn Park and Lakeville and has the best prices in the Twin Cities metro. Be aware that the first time you go can be a bit overwhelming, as there is a tone of variety to choose from.
Triarco – This locally-based store is a great place to order rolls of Smart Fab online. Smart Fab is a single use banner material, often priced better than regular fabric of the same size.
Dharma Trading Company – Their range of fabric paints and other colorful art supplies can’t be beat.
Chain stores – hardware stores and craft-fabric stores are a solid plan if you need something not listed above. JoAnn’s Fabrics and Michael’s always have coupons on their website you can print or look up from your smartphone. Don’t pay full price!