Gourmet food, live music, spectacular desserts, and a few surprises are what’s in store for the annual Lopez Island Historical Society (LIHS) fundraiser.

Since 2006, when LIHS handed the reins of its traditional auction over to Woodmen Hall, the non-profit organization has aimed to create something a little different. The result is a blend of exceptional art, quality food, lively music, and irresistible desserts. Tickets are available now for the event on July 26, 6:30 p.m. at Lopez Center.

Chef Kim Bast and her very talented friends are dishing up fabulous food that includes vegetables, fish and meat from every part of the island, and Hawk Arps and associates will be providing music. This year’s live auction is once again hosted by Dick and Sharon Friel and will feature original art by Christa Malay, Steve Hill, Ron Norman, Leonard Wren, Patie Savage, Bob McCabe, George Willis, Tom Collins, Daphne Morris, Nancy Bingham, Tamara Shane, and others. Bast and Janet Baltzer will offer a unique event to the successful bidder, and Mike Ellis will lead a forest tour.

“The arts community has always been generous with LIHS. Actually, the entire community has been incredibly supportive. Our efforts to preserve Lopez Island’s cultural treasures and develop a valuable research archive have been successful due exclusively to local support,” said Executive Director Thompson-Klein.

Around three-fourths of LIHS’s budget comes from local families, and around a third of that comes from its annual summer fundraiser. “We try to produce an evening that will be fun and memorable for all who attend. We also try to provide plenty of opportunities during the evening to support museum programs. Hawk Arps will play his vibraphone, and be joined by several other Lopezians on the stage. We’ll run a continuous slide show featuring photos that are part of our Washington Rural Heritage program,” continued Thompson-Klein.

This year, LIHS will focus on funding a school curriculum to benefit Lopez School students. The goal is to create a program that meets Washington State education requirements; teachers will find valuable; and students will use to gain an understanding of their island’s heritage.

Last year’s auction raised around $16,000, and the organization would like to raise around $20,000 this year to provide resources to develop the school curriculum, fund museum operations, and replace a collection management grant that ran for three years, ending in 2007.

Tickets are $20 each, and are available at the Lopez Historical Museum or by mail. Please call the museum 468-2049 if you have questions or would like to reserve tickets.

Sponsors of the event are Islanders Insurance, Spencer’s Landing/Tanbark Marine, Richardson Fuel, Lopez Island Pharmacy, Lopez Village Market, Hayward Design & Construction, Jamie & Lauren Stephens, Karen Rousseau, Mike and Margaret Ellis, Lopez School Administrators, and Raiti Waerness.