Nearly every Sunday afternoon, since at least the fall of the Qing dynasty, DT Bar in Kunming's Mayuan (麻园) neighborhood has held its weekend garden party. This Sunday, May 28 the tradition continues, but with a twist. Our old friend Dave Klatt recently suffered a severe series of fractures in his left leg, so the typically fun-filled festivities at DT will take on a new purpose — fundraising to help pay for medical bills and the physical therapy needed to get Dave up and mobile again as quickly as possible.

For those who haven't met him, Dave — known affectionately to his close friends as Frank Dave — has been in China for more than a decade, first in Nanjing as an IELTS examiner and tutor and then on to Kunming. Dave holds a degree in Traditional Chinese Medicine and is also an expert woodworker and baker. He has a passion for hiking in the mountains, and we hope he's back on the trails as soon as humanly possible!

Following surgery this week, Dave's bills are currently hovering around 35,000 yuan, and will rise a bit further as he recuperates at the hospital for the next week or so. Those bills — we think — are already mostly covered, but he needs a bit of help tackling the cost of rehabbing and recovering from a broken femur and fibula, which will take several months.

As Dave is a pretty easy-going and relaxed guy, we've planned a day of music, food and fun with his demeanor in mind. The afternoon and evening at DT will feature performances by three bands and a DJ, outside on the patio as much as weather permits. Meanwhile, there will also be some great food options alongside the normal drink choices on offer at the bar. All bands, chefs and other volunteers are generously donating their time, and proceeds from food and drink sales, as well as any donations made in person, will be set aside to pay for rehabbing Dave's leg.

Entertainment

The day will kick off with an outdoor open mic soirée beginning around 3:30pm. Two hours later, BOM will take to the stage playing bluesy garage rock. They will be followed by The Great Apes, kicking out the jams with their unique prog-blues-punk-experimental-reggae-cracked-out fusion rock. Next up will be Shengge African Drum Band, churning out the beats. Chair Band will wind up the night with a set of saxophone-fueled funk and jazz. In between, DJ Xiao Kris will spin the finest in funk, lounge, hip-hop, Latin, rock and electronica tunes.

Food and drink

In preparation for the party, Ian will be baking up a storm of delicious bread. Each loaf is 750 grams of happy, homemade, crispy, crunchy goodness. He'll have white, whole wheat and caraway loaves ready and waiting. Additionally, Jiajia from As You Like will be on hand with a special selection of yummy vegetarian pizzas, made-to-order just for you. As always, Juliette and Matu will keep your pint glass full or mix up that crazy cocktail you've always wanted to try but were afraid to.

This is planned to be a family friendly afternoon and evening. So come to help Dave out and stay for the food, drinks and camaraderie. It's a guaranteed great way to end the weekend and get an early start on your two days off for Dragon Boat Festival. See you there!

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