Folklife Music Auction Casts A Wide Web This Year

If you told Sandy Bradley in 1979 that she would be auctioning off guitars, ukuleles and pianos on the Internet, she would have laughed. Twenty years later, that is exactly what she is doing. Sandy Bradley's Annual Musical Instrument Auction is one of the many featured events at Northwest Folklife Festival this weekend.

The auction has become so popular, it attracts music lovers from across the country, with some making bids online. Nearly 1,000 of the instruments, ranging from banjos to accordions, will be on display at the Seattle Center beginning today through Sunday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the Northwest Rooms.

But hurry up. The instruments go on the auction block Monday at 10 a.m. You can also make a bid online at www.LiveBid.com, proving Folklife is indeed heading into the next millennium.

The auction runs until all the instruments are purchased. The sales could total up to $300,000, Bradley says. One year, a violin caught someone's eye and went for $1,700. This year's auction includes a Lear viola, an olton baritone sax and a Rickenbacker bass guitar.

Being in the public eye, or in Bradley's case, the public ear is nothing new for the musician/auctioneer. She hosted a music show on KUOW-FM (94.9) for 13 years, and has played old-time bluegrass around the Seattle area for years. She started the auction 20 years ago so people could buy instruments at affordable prices.

The auction has grown over the years, thanks to word of mouth and Bradley's mailing list. This year, 200 volunteers are helping with the sale. For more information about the auction, call 206-325-1181.

Outside the auction world, Folklife will ramble on. A Chinese Lion Dance will usher in the festival today and the Seattle Center will come to life with food, craft booths and 17 stages for 1,000 different performances. As usual, the festival encourages musicians to bring their instruments and singing voices for impromptu jam sessions. Festival hours are 11 a.m.-11 p.m. Friday through Monday. For more information about the festival, call 206-684-7300.