5th Annual Breathless Singles Auction

5th Annual Breathless Singles Auction & Pub Crawl

by Lisa Hummel

Going once, going twice, gone — to the highest bidder. Usually, that sound signifies the sale of a number of things: a valuable antique, or a prized piece of artwork … or a broken lamp at an unclaimed freight sale — but on April 7, that sound is going to signify something a little more daring and a lot more fun, the 5th Annual Breathless Singles Auction.

Held to sponsor the American Lung Association of Pennsylvania (ALAPA)’s program for children with asthma, the Breathless Taste of the Town and Singles Auction is a unique fundraising event designed to keep you ‘breathless’ in more ways than one. This year’s auction features 10 bachelors and 10 bachelorettes, all of whom are offering outstanding date packages to the highest bidder, ranging from tickets to professional sporting events and wine tasting tours to hot air balloon rides and boat tours.

And, for the first time in its history, the Breathless auction will be held at the Crowne Plaza in downtown Harrisburg along ‘Restaurant Row,’ a move that ALAPA’s Manager of Special Events Dave Conover saw as a major step forward into the community. “Downtown Harrisburg is a dynamic and fun place to play and to live,” he said, adding that by holding the event downtown, ALAPA is furthering the push to bring people into the city that began with the Downtown Improvement District (Harrisburg Hello), Harrisburg Young Professionals, and the Harrisburg Jaycees, all of whom are among the event’s sponsors.

Hosted by WINK-104’s John Paul Schaffer and WHP-TV’s Kirsten Page, Breathless is more than just an auction. This year, the evening kicks off with a pub crawl along Second Street, with each of the 12 participating establishments — including The Firehouse, Zephyr’s Express, 5:01 Downtown, Scott’s Grille, and The State House — hosting a bachelor and a bachelorette and offering free food and drink specials over a two hour period. At 6:30 p.m., the action will return to the Crowne Plaza where a silent auction, music, dancing, and a magic show by The Amazing John Westford will be a precursor to the Singles auction. The silent auction boasts 10 date packages up for bid to the public, including dates at City Island, Nissley Vineyards, Washington, D.C., and New York City, among others. The Singles Auction kicks off at 7:30 p.m.

Conover says upwards of 400-500 people are expected to attend the event, which will run until 10:00, when many of the participating restaurants will be hosting post-Breathless parties.

Tickets for the three-in-one event are $25 and are available at all 12 participating restaurants, the Crowne Plaza, East and West Shore Border’s Books, Woody’s Workout Club, and at the American Lung Association. You must be 21 years old to attend the events.

For more information, contact the American Lung Association at 541-5864.