19th Annual Broadway Flea Market Sets September Date
By Andrew Gans
May 11, 2005
The 19th Annual Broadway Flea Market and Grand Auction is set for Sunday, Sept. 15. The day-long event is scheduled to begin at 10 AM ET and continue to 7 PM. The outdoor fundraiser in Shubert Alley raises money for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS and features a host of theatrical memorabilia donated by the theatrical community. The day-long event also boasts a Celebrity Table, where theatre fans can purchase autographs by or photos with their favorite stars from Broadway, Off-Broadway and television serials. The well-attended event also includes a Grand Auction, where “unique and priceless items” are auctioned to the highest bidder.
Last year’s auction raised $419,464 for BC/EFA. It was the second consecutive year that the United Scenic Designers table raised the most for the charitable organization, bringing in $16,923; the Wicked table took in $12,788 and Avenue Q collected $11,944. A day at The Phantom of the Opera was the big winner in the Grand Auction — the high bid for that package was $8,500. And, two Bette Midler packages, including tickets to her concerts, brought in $7,500 each. The Silent Auction also earned quite a bit of money for BC/EFA, including an autographed Hirschfeld drawing of the late Gwen Verdon for $2,700.
Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS is the nation’s largest industry-based, nonprofit AIDS fundraising and grant-making organization. Since its founding in 1988 the organization has distributed over $100 million for services for people with AIDS, HIV or HIV-related illnesses.
For more information on the Flea Market and other BC/EFA events, visit the BC/EFA website at www.bcefa.org.
