The Edmonds community came together Saturday as a record-setting crowd gathered at the home of Cascadia Art Museum founders Lindsey and Caroline Echelbarger for the third annual museum fundraiser, an evening of music, fun, conversation, laughter, great food and drinks, all to help celebrate and support the special work of the museum and the role it plays in our town and region.

While the overcast skies were just a bit out of sync with the event’s Endless Summer theme, there was no rain and the more than 350 attendees enjoyed every minute of wandering the grounds and meeting friends new and old.

Greeting the attendees, Lindsey Echelbarger called the evening to order by thanking everyone for their support.

“Cascadia is the only museum dedicated to celebrating, displaying and raising awareness of the art of the Pacific Northwest,” he said.  “Since opening three years ago, we’ve grown to more than 1,200 members.  This year we published our first book, ““Territorial Hues,” by our curator David Martin, and have a second book in the works. We continue to work on school and community programs including an integrated writing and art curriculum for school children, monthly tours specifically designed for memory care and Alzheimer’s patients and their caregivers, our monthly “Coffee with the Curator” series, and our “Music in the Museum” chamber concert series.”

But then it was time for a sumptuous dinner prepared by Edmonds’ Shooby Doo Catering, and a gala auction featuring original art, vacations, food and drink and more overseen by Northwest auctioneer extraordinaire David Silverman, who kept the energy and the bidding going at a fever pitch.

Learn more about these special programs and all the offerings of the Cascadia Museum at www.cascadiaartmuseum.org.

–Story and photos by Larry Vogel