Eureka Springs Brewery will be filled with boots, buckles and cowboy hats when it hosts the biggest fundraiser of the year for the Eureka Springs Community Center.
The 5th annual SIPtember, this year themed “Sips, Saddles & Spurs,” will be held from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 11, at the brewery located at 96 Ridgeview Road in Eureka Springs.
“SIPtember is actually our signature fundraiser,” said Anna Smedley, executive director of the community center. “It has historically been the largest fundraiser that we’ve hosted for the community center to help with our operating expenses.”
The family-friendly event gets underway at 4 p.m. with the start of a silent auction, hors d’oeuvres and beverages including beer, cider and wine, along with non-alcoholic drinks.
Family fun activities will go from 5 p.m. to 6:45 p.m., and a mechanical bull will be used for a 5:15 p.m. bull riding contest that will feature area “celebrity” contestants, Smedley said.
“This is a family event,” she said. “In addition to a silent auction, we have a lot of fun activities planned. We’ve got food from local restaurants. We’re going to have line dancing and a mechanical bull.
“Keeping with our theme, Sips, Saddles and Spurs, we’re going to have games that kids can play. There’s something for everybody.”
A live auction will be held at 7 p.m.
Tickets can be purchased at reserveeureka.com/attractions/ siptember or in person at the community center. Prices are $25 for adults and $10 for kids 12 and over. Anyone 11 or under is free. In addition, attendees are encouraged to make donations of $5 or more for their favorite bull rider.
“The community center, as a nonprofit and like all non-profits, we rely at least in part on fundraising, either to help fund our operating expenses or to help with improvement projects,” Smedley said. “This particular fundraiser helps to support our operating expenses.”
“…This particular fundraiser helps to make sure we can have classes. It helps to fund our youth memberships. It helps to fund our meet-ups like KIDtastic Tuesdays in the gym that are free to the community members or teen game night that is free to kids. It helps to make sure that we can keep our equipment up to date in our fitness center … This is not just making sure we keep the doors open, but that we can continue to do the programming that we do for the community.”
Auto Owners Insurance, Bare & Swett Insurance, Hosted Journey Vacation Rentals, Johnson’s Automotive and Worldwide Promotional Materials are the sponsors for the event.
