Fans of Alice in Wonderland will want to join in on the fun for Lift Up the Arts, the signature fundraiser for Chestnut Center for the Arts, on October 25. The event at Hotel Marshfield will feature an Alice-themed dinner, silent & live auctions, 50/50 raffle, and live music by Hub City Jazz.
The Chestnut Center has used the Alice in Wonderland theme for this year’s children’s programming and for an upcoming Mad Hatter high tea. Decorations at the event will reflect the illustrated book and also modern adaptations of Lewis Carroll’s classic. At the event, guests will have several fun photo opportunities, whether it’s tea party set-up with the Mad Hatter, or a photo with Tweedledee and Tweedledum.
Auction items include original artwork from local artists, trips, music memorabilia, and more in a wide range of price points. “If you want to support the Center but can’t afford to bid thousands of dollars on a trip, there’s other things that are very accessible to help us out,” said Adam Smrcka, Executive Director. “That’s why we keep our prices lower. We really see ourselves as a community arts center.”
While Lift Up the Arts helps fund programming at the Center, a need for accessibility led to a campaign to install a wheelchair lift and automatic doors, and pave the parking lot. Through the help of many donors and Marshfield Area Community Foundation, enough was raised to install the lift before the end of the year.
“Lift Up the Arts was directly taken from the need for us to implement some type of accessibility upgrade to allow people with disability or mobility issues to access some our programming up in the performance hall, and also the education here,” said Smrcka. The lift will also help artists and musicians haul artwork and equipment upstairs.
Tickets are $50 and can be purchased online at EventBrite, and by calling (715-389-8999) or emailing the main office ([email protected]).
