At the Highland Golf Club on Thursday, auctioneer Dan Sampson announces a decorated Pink Fest brasierre being sold as a fundraiser for the Delta County Cancer Alliance. (Sarah Greenlund | Daily Press)

ESCANABA — Pink Fest 2025 concluded Thursday with a final night of voting and an auction to raise money for the Delta County Cancer Alliance.

The auction alone — which gave people the opportunity to bid on decorated bras that had traveled and been displayed at establishments in Delta County throughout October, which is Breast Cancer Awareness Month — raised more than $1,000, the DCCA reported.

This was the second year of Pink Fest, with 24 completed works of art returned by the Sept. 26 deadline. Each entrant turned the plain, new white brassieres into their own canvas and decorated it with various materials — beads, other fabrics, fur, feathers and more. Each entry cost $75.

The public then was invited to vote on their favorite designs, paying $2 for a single vote or $5 for three. Since it would benefit the Cancer Alliance, ballot-stuffing was encouraged.

“We don’t have a final tally yet, but we do know our community is amazing and we will be able to help our family, friends and neighbors because of all of your support,” DCCA President Gayle DeShambo wrote. “From the entire DCCA board, from the bottom of our hearts, thank you!”

The DCCA expressed gratitude to everyone who supported the events: people who voted, attended a Thursday event, bought a “Pink Drink,” shared a social media post, purchasing raffle tickets, purchasing an auction item; auctioneer Colonel Dan Samson, who donated his talent; local Celtic band Failte, who donated their time to play “phenomenal, upbeat music”; all who volunteered for DCCA at the events and setting up; The Daily Press for all of the ads in the paper and signs; the artists who made creative designs on bras; and the venues — Chenier’s Reef, Rapid River Pub, Catmando’s and Highland Golf Club — that offered businesses, donated food and door prizes and provided specialty drinks.