Children's Auction relocates, offers Black Friday bidding

LACONIA — The Greater Lakes Region Children’s Auction will return to Belmont for its 41st year. Although the auction doesn’t officially start until Tuesday, Dec. 6, the organization’s executive director Jennifer Kelley said eager donors can bid early on high-priced items this year.

Belknap Marketplace, formerly known as the Belknap Mall, will host the auction broadcast. The shopping center was renamed shortly after being purchased by Vernet Properties. 

“We listened to all the people who were talking about the auction, and they said it would be so great to see some of the more expensive items, like $300 and over, in advance,” Kelley explained. “So on Black Friday, which is Nov. 25, we are going to highlight any item that’s $300 or more and people can start bidding on it.”

Donations for the $300-plus items are due Tuesday, Nov. 15. The collection site at the Belknap Marketplace is open 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Further donation sites can be found at childrensauction.org.

Last year, the auction was held at Tanger Outlets in Tilton. From 2017 to 2019, the auction called the then-Belknap Mall home.

“We’ve moved so many different places,” Kelley said. “Bob Glassett, who’s on our board, reached out and has been in contact with [the Belknap Marketplace] when the new owners bought it. They were really generous.”

This year, the auction will utilize two spaces and is sponsored by Hannaford Supermarkets. One storefront location is the site of a former Subway restaurant that provides a street view to the parking lot.

“The Subway is open to do item collection, and we like that because it’s in front,” Kelley said. The windows provide an opportunity for auction items to be on display to shoppers and passers by. As for the main event, the auction will use a massive, currently vacant retail space in the back of the marketplace that measures approximately 26,000 square feet. Plenty of room for item storage, the television set, and volunteers to answer the phones.

Right now, there’s not much to see. Both locations are awaiting gifts, decoration and the annual army of volunteers to start setting up for what will be a truly massive event.

“This community is incredibly generous,” Kelley said. “They’ve always been such a huge supporter of the auction and this year we have over $600,000-worth of grant requests, and the grant requests are all from nonprofits that serve under-resourced kids and families in the greater Lakes Region, so we have our work cut out for us.”

To learn more or get involved with the auction, visit ChildrensAuction.org or call 603-527-0999.