CHANGING LIVES AND INSPIRING LEARNING THROUGH SCIENCE AND WONDER.
Limited Early Bird Price Tickets: $100 Available Jan 1 - Jan 31 while supplies last
Full Price Tickets: $125 Available Feb 1 - March 17
Click Here to Bid in the Online Auction
CSC's Annual Fundraiser is an evening of dancing, dining, live and silent auctions, games, and more! First held in 1986, as "The Italian Dinner" this event is CSC's largest fundraiser. Its success is tied to the generous donations and auction items from members and businesses throughout our community. Now in its 39th year, CSC's Fundraising Gala is organized and coordinated by the Catawba Science Center Guild a group of passionate individuals who help with CSC's fundraising projects.
Doors will open at 6 pm for guests to enjoy themed games to win prizes, sip delicious drinks, and bid on silent auction items. Historically, food has been a three-course meal served in the ballroom, but we are shaking things up this year! We are opting for heavy appetizers that will be available throughout the entire event. Grab bites between games and fill a plate before entering the ballroom for the main event. Following the speaking and live auction portion of the evening, our live band will play tunes that will make you want to jump on the dance floor, and we hope that you do!
Our live auction items typically range from travel excursions to sports packages to orthodontics, and anywhere in between. During the event, guests will have a chance to participate in popular games such as Heads or Tails by purchasing a "Blinky Light", and Last One Standing by purchasing a "Bingo Square" to win big prizes. Each year, Catawba Science Center highlights an internal project that needs particular attention, called Fund-A-Cause. The Fund-A-Cause project for 2026 will focus on funding for a world-class featured exhibit, created in partnership with Boeing, Above and Beyond, which will allow us to not only elevate our featured exhibit experience, but bring the science of flight to our community.
Early bird tickets will be released after the holidays at a special lower price, and then full price tickets will start February 1st. Come back soon for tickets, and join the mailing list at the top of this page to be alerted when they drop!
Thank you again to all who came to the 2025 Fundraiser, Butterfly Garden Soiree, an Evening in Bloom. The night was a fantastic success.
Scroll through photos from the event to see the fun that was had at the recently refreshed Lake Hickory Country Club.
Big thank you to Molly Grantham for emceeing! We are looking forward to what this year will hold.
Each year the Guild curates a wide variety of donations from businesses in the community to auction off both online and in person as part of our Annual Fundraiser. If you have an item or experience you'd like to donate to this year's event, please let us know! We are always looking for new and exciting additions to both our Live Auction (high ticket items) and our Online and in person Silent Auctions. Email Emily if you or your company has something to contribute.
Fill out this Sponsor Commitment Sheet today!
We cannot put on this incredible event without the sponsors we have already, and the ones yet to sponsor. Please solidify your spot in our lineup by March 6!
Planning is well under way for our March Fundraiser! We've heard your feedback so far - and are making sure to incorporate your ideas into this year's event. Please consider filling out this form even if you haven't attended CSC's Annual Dinner & Auction recently (or ever) as we'd like to hear why!
Presenting
US Conec
Cocktail
Mike Johnson Toyota
Platinum NOVA
Corning
Dr. and Mrs. Jake Everett Turrentine
Mike & Melanie Long Charitable Gift Fund
Pepsi-Cola Hickory
Piedmont Natural Gas
Wessels Consulting Services
Gold NOVA
Dental Health Concepts
Paramount Auto
Silver NOVA
David E. Looper & Co.
Patrick Harper & Dixon, LLP
Sigmon Clark Mackie Hanvey & Ferrell PA
Utility Solutions, Inc.
Bronze NOVA
Cansler Family Dentistry
David Leonetti & Pam Elske-Leonetti
Ernest K. Sills, AIA
Graystone Eye & Graystone Eye Missions
STROLL Moore's Ferry & Governor's Harbor / BeLocal Foothills
In-Kind
Allegra Printing
Whitfield's Flowers & More
We love the Science Center! I take my 2 and 4 year old boys weekly to play and enjoy the exhibits. The staff are wonderful and the classes offered are excellent! We are so blessed to have such an amazing resource in our area.
Fabulous and I don’t often give praise. We took our grandson and were there for hours. He loved it and so did we.
Took the kiddos and they loved it. Employees were nice and helpful. If your looking for something to do with the kids give this place a shot.
This place was great. We have kids from 8 to 1 and they all had a great time. What I really liked is most of the exhibits are hands on and that really kept them occupied.
What a wonderful place to visit! Great environment to learn and the staff is very helpful! Hickory is lucky to have great family education and entertainment.
