The Cape Ann Chamber of Commerce’s Annual Auction celebrates its 27th run on Friday, July 18 at 5:00 pm at The Essex Room at Woodman’s, 125R Main Street, Essex.

New this year is a FREE Auction Preview/Business After Hours, also held at The Essex Room, on Thursday, July 17 from 5:00 to 7:00 pm. This special Auction Preview evening will be a great opportunity to mingle with friends, preview this year’s Live Auction treasures and get an early start on Silent Auction bidding.

The Main Auction Event on Friday, July 18 will bring together bidders from across Cape Ann and the North Shore in hopes of going home with marquee auction items. Led by committee chair Tony Corrao, auction preparations are humming along with over $100,000 worth of donated items already in hand and great new packages arriving daily from Chamber members and friends.

‘This is one of the premier social gatherings on Cape Ann,’ said Carol Morse, who has been a staunch supporter of the auction for many years. ‘Last year was a great success on one of the best nights we had all summer. The bidding, the social interaction and catching up with friends was so wonderful to see.’

Paintings by Cape Ann’s leading artists, including Ken Knowles, John Terelak, Paul George, K.T. Morse, Carole Loiacono, and John Nesta, tickets to sporting events, trips and adventures, including a South Africa Photo Safari and a vacation package to Stowe, VT, a hand knotted Oriental carpet from Landry & Arcari, and even Editor for a Day at The Gloucester Times are just some of the auction highlights with plenty of other premier prizes also up for bid.

For a complete list of auction items, visit www.capeannchamber.com/auction or www.facebook.com/capeannchamberauction. Tickets for the 27th annual Cape Ann Chamber of Commerce Auction on Friday, July 18 are $30 per individual or $300 for a reserved table of 10.

Looking to make a donation or attend the event? Contact Kerry McKenna at kerry@capeannchamber.com or call at 978-283-1601.