Bidders packed into the Joan C. Edwards Performing Arts Center Friday for an art auction benefitting local charities.

The event featured an auction, live music, a silent auction, food and wine.

The auction was held in the lower level lobby of the Joan C. Edwards Performing Arts Center, while refreshments and the silent auction were on the upper mezzanine.

The auction benefited River Valley Child Development, which offers the Enterprise Child Development Center as well as an after school program, School Age Connections.

The pieces of artwork were made by children from six weeks to 11 years old and were professionally framed for the event.

Most of the paintings sold went for between $30 and $80.

Several parents were in attendance with their young children during the auction.

Suzi Brodof, executive director of River Valley Child Development Services said she loves having the parents at the event.

“I love to have the parents here,” Brodof said. “I’d like more people from the community to come out.”

Brodof said she loved having the event in the Performing Arts Center. The group has had events at the Birke Art Gallery in the past. The current art auction has been at the Performing Art Center for eight years.

“The program outgrew the art gallery,” Brodof said.

The most ever raised at the event was $8,000 and Brodof said she hoped to exceed that this year.

Guests said they enjoyed themselves and the atmosphere in the Performing Arts Center.

“I came here because my sister works with these kids,” said Jordan Perdue, a guest at the event. “It is very possible I will come back.”

Perdue said she felt this was a great way to raise awareness for the charities the event supported.

The silent auction allowed guests to bid on a variety of prizes, such as gift baskets or lunch with former Marshall Football coach, Bobby Pruett and his wife, or a day with Huntington’s mayor Steve Williams.

Several businesses had baskets available for bidding, including food coupons, a wine basket, a movie basket, bowling packages and game tickets.

John Cole Glover can be contacted at [email protected].