2023 Bearfootin' Art Walk Auction
21st Annual Bearfootin' Art Walk Auction
Since 2003, the Bearfootin' Art Walk has helped raise funds for Friends of Downtown Hendersonville and a variety of local nonprofits. The bears showcase the community's talented artists, as well as provide a window into the good work being done by nonprofits and community organizations in Henderson County.
Until 2020, the Bearfootin' auctions were hosted in traditional style with a live auctioneer. Then, in response to the pandemic, Friends of Downtown Hendersonville pivoted to a virtual format for the 2020 auction. The virtual bidding format allowed people to bid over the course of a month until a scheduled bidding cutoff. This turned out to be a big success, with the 2020 auction raising more than $84,000. The Friends continued the same bidding layout in 2021 with an added in-person event, and funds raised surpassed $100,000!
For the 2023 Auction, the Downtown Events Team and Staff are incorporating the same virtual bidding format with an in-person event as in 2022. All bidding will be virtual and will start on September 21, 2023, continuing over the course of a month. Bidding will come to a close with an in-person celebration on Saturday, October 21 from 4-6pm, with all bidding closing at 6pm. The in-person event is open to the public and will take place at the Historic Courthouse Plaza in downtown Hendersonville.
What You Need to Know About the 2023 Bearfootin' Bear Auction:
2. Bidding begins on September 21, 2023. It’s free to register, and you can bid anytime between September 21 and the deadline at 6pm on October 21. All initial bids will take place via the website. Once you've begun bidding, you will have the ability to submit additional bids via text message. Bidders will receive automatic text notification if they are outbid with the option to submit a new bid.
3. There will be an outdoors, in-person Auction Celebration on October 21 from 4-6pm at the Historic Courthouse Plaza on the 100 block of Main Street in downtown Hendersonville. The event will have a lively atmosphere with bells and cheers at each incoming bid. The event is free and open to the public. While there will be no in-person bidding at the event, attendees can bid live via their cell phone. There will be a registration booth to help attendees get registered and begin bidding if they have not already registered ahead of time.
4. There will be no proxy bidding. Bidders will receive automatic text notification if they are outbid with the option to submit a new bid. There is no option for reserve/proxy bids, meaning you can’t set a price that the system will automatically bid for you. If you are outbid, you will need to place a higher bid if you wish to continue.
7. Bidders do not have to attend the in-person event to be a winning bidder, but winning bidders are encouraged to pick up their the evening of October 21.
8. Winning bidders will be contacted regarding payment and picking up their bear via text and email. Bears can be picked up at the event, or during a scheduled “pick up window” the week following the event. Winners have 5 days to pay or they will be automatically charged on the credit card filed. Alternatively, winners can pay with cash or check. There will be a 2.95% processing fee on all credit card transactions.
About the Bearfootin' Art Walk Program:
The Bearfootin’ Bears arrive as blank slates before local artists transform each in a spectacular fashion, with creative themes ranging from Mona Lisa to Blue Ridge Mountain scenery. After the “Reveal” event in early May, the bears then take up residence in downtown Hendersonville for the duration of the summer and fall, up until auction. Participants bid at the live auction to raise funds for local non-profits and the coordinating organization Friends of Downtown Hendersonville (a 501c3 nonprofit). Winning bids up to $3,000 are split evenly between the Friends of Downtown Hendersonville and the nonprofit chosen by the sponsor, while bid amounts exceeding $3,000 are directed entirely to the nonprofit.
