“And the next item up for bid…”

The words used may not be those exactly, but bidders will hear something similar as they gather at Lyon Hall the evening of April 8 to conclude the second annual Rooster Day.

The event began last year to commemorate the infamous Rooster Auction held in Demopolis in 1917 to raise money to build a bridge between Sumter and Marengo counties. The bridge was the last gap in the Dixie Overland Highway stretching from Savannah, Georgia to San Diego, California, now U.S. Highway 80.

The modern celebration is a fundraiser for the Marengo County Historical Society to help pay for the upkeep of its two historic homes and sponsor events throughout the year.

Lyon Hall, one of the two homes, will be the site for both a silent and a live auction with scores of items to tempt bidders. Admission to the event is $15, and heavy hors d’oeuvres will be served.

Doors open at 5:30 p.m. for guests to gather. Bidding on silent auction donations by individuals and businesses in the community will be from 7-8 p.m.

Among them are a case of wine, wool area rugs, a handmade rustic barnwood mini bar, a farmhouse table, chalk-painting party for up to 10 people, coolers, local services, and assorted rooster-themed items such as a stained-glass sun catcher, planter and hand-carved cutting boards.

After the winners of the silent auction are announced, the live auction kicks off at 8:30 p.m. Several hunting trips are up for bid. Sportsmen can choose from trips that offer deer, hogs, turkeys or quail. Skeet shooting lessons for six also will be offered.

For those who prefer more quiet pursuits, the auction has a stay at the Roosevelt Hotel in New Orleans, a Gulf Shores condo, painting class for 16 with cupcakes included, a catered party and a dinner at Sherrod Forest. A hand-crafted desk is yet another exclusive item offered to bidders.

This year those who cannot be on hand to bid for items in person may place their bids on line. Information on how to take part in distance bidding can be found at www.roosterdaydemopolis.com.

Once the bidding is over, guests can enjoy listening and dancing to the music of the Rexton Lee Band, an Alabama country/party band from Alexander City, as is performs on the Foster Farms Fowl Play Stage.

(This article originally appeared in the Saturday, April 1, 2017, print edition of the Demopolis Times.)