HUMBOLDT — The 21st annual Festival of Wreaths will return this year with all items being auctioned silently.
In previous years, the fundraiser put on by the Friends of the Museum and Gallery would silently auction items for three weeks, leading up to a large in-person auction with live bidding.
Traditionally, a few items are saved exclusively for the live auction – but without it, Catherine Harrison, cultural programmer with the Museum and Gallery, said all items will go silently.
“We’re really pleased that we can find a way to do it safely this year and still put it on,” Harrison said.
“We’re really grateful to live in such a generous and giving and supportive community. Already we got donations pulling in, and with it being a tough year for so many people we weren’t sure what it was going to look like, but the way it’s going it might be one of our best yet.”
Funds raised through the festival are used by the Friends of the Museum and Gallery to support community events and programs including art classes, musical performances, history programs, literary events, artist talks, youth programs, and public art.
Harrison said that donations had begun to pour in on Oct. 22, with about 20 different businesses or people bringing stuff in or letting them know they were participating.
“It’s a very nice feeling and very nice to know that we have the support that we do,” she said. “These are very active days because people are being reminded, so it probably won’t be like this every day, but things are really encouraging.”
The silent auction fundraiser will be happening from Nov. 19 to Dec. 10.
Friends of the Museum and Gallery are currently looking for donations of silent auction items for the Festival from businesses and members of the public who would like to support the Friends of the Museum and Gallery.
“We’re looking for pretty much anything. So if you’re a business and have a product or service, gift certificate, gift basket with items from your business – any of those kinds of things,” Harrison said.
“If you’re an individual and you’re a handy-crafter or have a small business or something like that, we can take pretty much anything you would like to give us that can promote your business and your type of skills as well as help us out.”
All donations can be brought to the museum during regular hours of operation on Tuesday to Saturday from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.
People are asked to bring their donations by Nov. 7 to ensure that their items are included in all promotional material. There will be a pick-up of donations on Nov. 6.
Bidding can be done at the gallery and on their website at humboldtmuseum.ca.
