Runway Soirée auction offers ‘experiences of lifetime’

Garden party-themed fashion show scheduled for April 5 at L&N Depot

AIR Artists, Inc.’s second annual Runway Soirée, “A Garden Affair: An Evening of Floral Fashion Delight,” on Saturday, April 5, at the historic L&N Depot, will showcase designer dresses and will include a 10-item silent auction.

Attendees will have the opportunity to bid on a driving experience that puts the winner behind the wheel of a NASCAR racecar, suited up and speeding along at up to 150 mph, and a Top Gun experience in Mesa, Arizona, that includes an air combat mission.

Those who want to go further afield can bid on a two-person, five-night stay in two luxury safari camps in South Africa or a golf trip for two to the Torrence and Kittocks Course in St Andrews, Scotland, with a five-night stay at the Fairmont St Andrews and a $900 gift card for golf.

A Spanish stay includes two-bedroom apartments in Madrid and Barcelona with food tour, flamenco show, half-day market tour and cooking class, and half-day walking tour of modernist art. Italy lovers can bid on a six-day stay in a two bedroom apartment in Praiano with sea-view terraces, an Amalfi lemon tour, and a sunset cruise or an apartment stay in beautiful Cortona for up to four people. A Portuguese stay includes five nights in a two-bedroom apartment in Lisbon, castle tours of Sintra and Cascais, and dinner and a Fado show.

The City of Lights is on offer with a two-person, three-night stay at a four-star hotel in Paris and Seine River dinner cruise, followed by three nights in a chateau in the Champagne region with a Champagne tour and a visit to the Abbey of Hautvillers, of Dom Perignon fame.

Those who would like to go a little further north can choose a five-night trip to northern Iceland that includes a stay at a two-bedroom lodge, a hiking tour of the Solheimajokull glacier, and whale watching.

All trips are land only and do not include airfare.

The silent auction preview time will feature beverages and hors d’oeuvres. Later, guests will enjoy a seated dinner and the fashion show with special lighting by Shofarstage Productions. Tickets are $125 per person and are available at Cotton Street Gallery. Seating is limited.

The Runway Soirée is a creation of Cotton Street Gallery, which celebrates Southern textile art and artists and offers textile-related classes and demonstrations for adults and children throughout the year, as well as special cultural exhibits. The gallery is open Thursday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Proceeds from the Runway Soirée benefit AIR Artists, Inc., a 501(c) (3) organization.

To learn more AIR Artists, Inc, visit airartists.org. To learn more about Cotton Street Gallery, visit cottonstreetgallery.com.