OTHELLO — Art lovers – and others – are invited to take a dive Saturday.

“Under the Sea” is the theme of the Old Hotel Art Gallery’s annual benefit auction and although it’s not required, attendees are encouraged to dress accordingly.

“We’ll be having a costume contest,” said gallery director Samantha Copas. “Something under the sea: mermaids, a ship’s captain, or just beach wear.”

The affair is mostly a home-grown one: Classic Grill'n will supply pulled pork, and the rest of the buffet dinner will come from board members and volunteers, Copas said. Wines are donated by local producers, including Gård Vintners, Gingko Forest Winery, Vital Wines and Chris Daniel Winery.

The auction will be conducted by auctioneer Chantel Kimball of Booker Auction, and the emcee will be Miss Othello Rodeo 2023 Annabel Cobb.

Auction items are varied and include a number of art works, as well as ground beef, auto detailing and tickets to the Museum of Pop Culture, Triple Play amusement park and a Spokane Indians game.

“Probably our most popular thing is pie for a year,” Copas said. “You get one pie at the time, and then you can request another pie once a month for the rest of the year.”

Pies are made by Donna Brault, Copas added. Brault is known in the Othello community for her pies, some of which have been featured at the Othello Fair.

Donations of auction items are still being accepted, and some of the items that have come in are, well, unusual, Copas said.

“We had some porcelain dolls donated the other day,” she said. “Some of the paintings that were donated were actually purchased at one of our very first auctions in the ’70s.”

The auction and dinner are the Old Hotel’s biggest source of income for the year, Copas said. This year, some of the proceeds will go to repair the heat at the gallery. Last year’s auction raised about $20,000, Copas added.

“Our auction is known to have some quirky stuff,” Copas said. “It’s just a mishmash of all kinds of stuff. So if you’re looking for something … that’s not your typical auction items, you can probably find something here.”

‘Under the Sea’

Oct. 19 at Sacred Heart Catholic Church, 616 E. Juniper St., Othello.

Silent auction begins at 6 p.m., live auction at 7:30

Tickets are available at the door or in advance at the Old Hotel, 33 Larch St., Othello

$20 for general admission, $18 for seniors. Attendees must be 21 or older.

    Old Hotel benefit auction organizers have planned for about 120 people this year, and tickets are still available.
  

    This vintage set of three collectible plates will be up for bid at the Old Hotel’s benefit dinner and auction Saturday.
  

    This classic wooden table is one of the items donated for the Old Hotel benefit auction Saturday at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Othello.