Wine tasting, art auction fundraiser returns

Wine, art and a little friendly competition will come together in Grand Marais later this month as two local organizations host the third annual Wine Tasting and Art Auction on the Bay.

The event will take place from 4 to 9 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 26, in the Community Center Barn. Presented by the Grand Marais Chamber of Commerce and Grand Marais Historical Society, the fundraiser will feature both live and silent auctions, along with raffles of themed gift baskets. Guests can also enjoy a curated selection of specialty cheeses and nonalcoholic beverage options throughout the evening. 

Now in its third year, the event was inspired by a similar fundraiser in Curtis at the Erickson Center for the Arts. Organizers of the event there shared their planning outline with Grand Marais when the local groups decided to create their own version three years ago.

“We came up with it a few years back because we just loved the one that goes on in Curtis, and we wanted to emulate that,” chamber representative Toni Whaley said. “The Curtis Chamber was so gracious in helping us learn how to do it, how to set it up.”

Proceeds are split between the chamber and historical society. Chamber funds help support community events and promotion, while the historical society uses its portion to preserve Grand Marais history.

“The historical society benefits all the historical sites as well as the historical archives that are located next to the library in Grand Marais,” Whaley said, adding that the funds support the Pickle Barrel House Museum, Old Post Office Museum and Lightkeeper’s House Museum.

“It’s local; it’s friendly,” historical society representative Cathy Egerer said. “It’s more just to introduce people to various wines and see that there’s some things they might enjoy and have a little fun with the auctions.” 

The silent auction, featuring 60 to 70 items, will run from 4 to 6 p.m., followed by the live art auction. Organizers have collected a wide variety of donated pieces, including paintings, photography, ceramics, prints, historic maps and photos, glasswork and three-dimensional art. 

This year’s auction also includes work from several well-known area artists, including pieces by Len Novak and Kim Ambler, along with signed books by Karen Burns. 

“We just have a little bit of everything, and everything is so unique and so beautiful,” Whaley said. 

Organizing the event involves securing the venue, obtaining proper licenses and coordinating tables, tents, wine and an auctioneer. Dawn Marks will serve as this year’s auctioneer, taking over the role for the first time. 

“We really start planning this early in the year, like mid-winter,” Egerer said. “There’s a lot of little pieces that go into it.”

After holding the inaugural event outdoors near the bay, organizers moved it into the Community Center Barn last year to eliminate concerns about rain and wind. The barn will again be decorated to create what Whaley described as a “fall festival vibe.”

“It’s a great time,” Whaley said. “The colors, the trees are changing, and the weather’s usually nice.”

Egerer said the event offers something for both wine enthusiasts and those interested in discovering unique pieces of art. 

“It’s a fun evening. It’s very relaxed. It’s very informal,” Egerer said. “There’s no dress code.” 

Advance tickets are $30, and admission at the door is $35. The price includes 10 wine tasting tickets and light fare to enjoy throughout the tasting. Advance tickets can be purchased through the link available at grandmaraismichigan.com/events.