If you’re looking to create some buzz and hype for your next auction, look no further. One of the best ways to encourage excitement over your event is to go with a theme.
Themed parties are always fun and can bring people together for a worthy cause in a playful and exciting way. Whether it’s a dress-up party or an event that focuses its theme on a specific cause, you can be sure that a themed auction can rake in the support for your non-profit organization.
Here, we’ll give you 7 great auction theme ideas to spice up your next fundraising event. Use one of these next time you’re stuck on what angle to go with!
Channel your inner James Bond with a fun and interactive casino games night. You can raise money by allowing everyone to buy chips and rewarding the winners with some great prizes and the opportunity to donate to their favorite cause.
Alternatively, half the winnings can go to the cause you’re fundraising for, and the other half to the poker champion of the day.
You can really run with this auction theme idea by serving martinis and encouraging everyone to dress up to a Casino Royale theme. Put some prizes up for auction, too, like casino and hotel trips and at-home poker sets.
Is there anybody who doesn’t enjoy dressing up in 20’s attire? Allow your guests a peek into life 100 years ago by going with the tried and tested Great Gatsby theme. It’s always fun to see people’s extravagant outfits and this auction theme idea can really up the glamor and excitement of your event.
Try auctioning off things like expensive bottles of alcohol, trips or concert tickets, and even some 20’s memorabilia (if you can get your hands on it!)
The ideas are endless - just match the glamour of the event with fantastic auction pieces and you’ll have a fundraising event that excites and entices people.
Young and old, there are loads of people who are fans of the old, black and white movies. Pick a classic, get a big projector, and you’ve got yourself a retro movie night!
You can offer refreshments in vintage packaging and decorate the venue with retro décor. Try to really encompass the theme and take your guests back in time.
Some auction item ideas include movie tickets, hampers with TV subscription service vouchers, and some retro items in keeping with the theme, like record players. Try splitting up the movie into parts to allow time for socializing, other entertainment, and bidding wars!
This is a go-to auction theme for a reason. Without spending too much time on décor and finding themed auction items, you can opt for a wine and cheese tasting night that excites your guests with the very mention of ‘cheese’ and, of course, ‘wine’.
Auction item ideas include expensive wines, imported cheese hampers, and tickets or vouchers for events that are similar to your own.
Reach out to a wine farm to try and nab an overnight stay and full wine tasting experience for your guests to bid on. Depending on your budget, you can even go as far as to offer tickets to countries where some of the best wines and cheeses come from (France, we’re looking at you).
This auction theme idea will really get your guests’ adrenaline up and their blood pumping to both bid and compete! A sports day can be fun for the whole family and you can run events like races and games to get everyone involved. People can sponsor each other, with all the proceeds going to the charity of the day.
You can also auction off some very desirable items like tickets to sports matches, golfing and sporting gear, and private coaching lesson vouchers. This is another theme you can run with to the nth degree. There are countless games you could focus on and different ways to entertain almost everyone.
If your goal is to entertain your guests and keep them busy and excited, this is the perfect auction theme idea.
Luaus are filled with feasts, fun, and fantastic entertainment. Make sure to consult people who really know what they’re doing when it comes to this theme so you can offer the most authentic experience possible!
And, of course, put some exciting items up for auction. The most obvious one would be a trip to Hawaii, but you can also offer things like beach day hampers, cooking lessons, and trips to other tropical holiday getaways.
Entertainment is key in this theme, so apart from providing it, you can also put it up for grabs.
Combine your guests’ (and their kids’) love for animals by hosting a fundraising event that centers itself around pets and animal welfare. This is a particularly good idea if your cause is for animals, but it’s also a great way to get kids and families involved no matter what you’re raising money for.
Bringing in some cats, dogs, and other animals in need of loving homes can help you to make money with adoption fees. You can also offer games and face painting.
For auction items, it’s a great idea to put vouchers for pet grooming or baskets of pet food and treats up for grabs.
No matter what theme you choose to go for, always keep the goal of fundraising for a good cause in mind. This will always make the experience more authentic for guests and will further encourage them to bid and spend money for the cause.
If you’re running an online auction, we have two pieces of advice. For one, use some of our great auction item ideas to help you to run with the theme you’ve chosen on an online platform. And secondly, try out BiddingOwl’s free non-profit charity auction software.
Learn more about how to host an online auction, whether it’s a silent auction or a live one, here.
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