By MATT PIKE
Next week, the Albrecht Kemper Museum of Art will take people on a Great American Road Trip, during the 48th annual Pot of Gold Gala and Auction.
The event is the largest fundraiser to support the museum. This year's theme, 'The Great American Road Trip will celebrate classic Americana, show off iconic destinations, and take guests on an adventure.
Executive Director Eric Fuson says the event's theme also celebrates some big milestones along the way
"It's the 250th anniversary of the United States, it's the 100th anniversary of Route 66, and it's the 60th anniversary of the Albrecht Kemper, so we said let's do something like this where we can kind of remember som good times with the trip we've taken as a museum, as well as all the trips we've taken as families, friends, all that kind of stuff, it's just really fun," Fuson explains on the KFEQmunnity show.
The Gala and Auction also provides a fun opportunity for people to express what a road trip means to them. Marketing and Communications Manager Madison McKinley says guests love to dress up for the event as well
"It's kind of a costume party of sorts, depending on what you think the Great American Road Trip means to you," McKinley says. "Some people want to go the old Hollywood route, they want to dress up and be super glamorous, and then some people want to be a tourist, or a park ranger, or something like that, it's going to be really interesting to see how many people and the creative costumes that they come up with that night."
The night at the museum will provide a meal with barbecue, and smoked alligator. There will also be an auction for people to bid on some items from businesses, but also patrons of the museum.
"One who has donated their house down in San Miguel, Mexico again this year, which has always been a major hit with everybody that buys that one, it's just a gorgeout villa right there in the middle of town so you can walk everywhere, that's a UNESCO World Heritage Site, so it's just a beautiful, beautiful city," Fuson says. "And then this year we have something kind of special again, last year we had Willie Nelson's guitar, this year we have a Loretta Lynn signed guitar, she's Country Music Hall of Fame and everything, so we're really excited about that too."
"We have some of the smaller things too, we have our silent auction as well, so we do have some rounds of golf, we have a really fancy toothbrush and teeth whitening kit from Mueller Dental, lots of gift certificates, nights out on the town, day trip kind of thing to Tulsa, Oklahoma, so there's lots of cool stuff."
The Pot of Gold Gala and Auction is Saturday, April 25th, running from 5 to 9pm at the Albrecht Kemper Museum of Art. Tickets are available for purchase online, or by contacting the museum.
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