Every year, the Midwest Morris Ale hosts a silent auction. The auction is set up for most of the duration of the weekend, and bidding ends at 7:30pm sharp on Sunday evening.
This year, we would like to encourage a broader scope for the Silent Auction. In addition to donating tangible goods, consider offering your TALENTS! Yes, you too have talents. Those talents may be in high demand by others. Consider your specialty, your hobbies, your professional and other services. Can you repair or tune up a bicycle, cook a meal, write a custom song or haiku? Can you offer a massage or singing or dancing lessons? Are you a life coach willing to assist someone, or an experienced job counselor? Think beyond the tangible and venture into all the wonderfully intangible talents you have.
To offer your talents for auction there may be nothing you need to bring other than your talented self! What could be simpler? But do consider limitations: Is your talent location based? What factors may influence or impact both the bidding for and the collection of your awesome special skill?
As always, we still love the wonderful tangible trinkets and objects of interest and delight for the auction. Some previous silent auction offerings include:
- Hand-knit items by some of the best knitters in the Midwest!
- Homemade jam, preserves, & other goodies
- Handcrafted items: shoe horns, bottle openers, trivets
- Dance shoes and clogs
- Dance apparel and other fancy party clothes
- Vintage Midwest Ale t-shirts (some are “pre-worn”)
- Jewelry
- AirBnB-style accommodations to host visiting dancers in your city
- Wall art
- Morris-related paraphernalia: bells, hankies, stick bags, leather mugs
- Books, printed materials, and recordings related to Morris dancing or other folk dance
Stop by and browse. If you see something you fancy, place a bid! All proceeds from the silent auction go to the Financial Aid fund. We accept payments via cash, check, or credit card.
If you are bringing items for the silent auction and would like to pre-enter your bidding sheets ahead of time, please use the form below. You can type in your information, print, and bring the sheets with you.
Silent Auction Bidding Sheet
Some things to keep in mind:
- If your items would mold, melt or go stale in three days, it’s better to leave them at home. However, shelf-stable items such as jams, jellies, and salsas are welcome.
- You may donate an alcoholic item; however, you must be 21 or over in order to bid and win such an item. Please be prepared to show ID.
- If you win a bid, be it an item or a talent, please be ready to pay and either take it home or make arrangements with the super talented individual as to how you can collect. Similarly, if nobody bids on your item, please take it with you when you leave.