College Hill Arts Festival will host a One-of-A-Kind Art Box Social and auction on Saturday.

The fund-raising event takes place at noon on the lawn between the Ethnic Minority Culture Center and Lang Hall on the festival grounds at the University of Northern Iowa.

Playing off the idea of an old-fashioned box lunch social, 15 exhibiting artists have decorated large, sturdy boxes with artwork. The boxes will be packed with a gourmet meal for two and auctioned by Roger Kueter.

Winning bidders can choose to eat their boxed lunches in a roped-off area or take the boxes home to eat. Either way, they'll go home with an original, signed art piece, says CHAF co-chair Karen Mukai.

In conjunction with University of Northern Iowa's 125th anniversary, several UNI staff and faculty members have volunteered to work at the event.

Artists providing artwork are frje echevveria, 'Cilla Meyermann and Esther Ching, of Cedar Falls, Maggie Vanderwalle of Winthrop, Karen Rae Vroman of Eric, Ill. Nadine Hawbaker of Grimes; painting; William Bisbee of Waterloo, and Diana and Bob Harvey of Eureka Springs, Ark., graphics; Pam Dennis of Ogden, Jo Myers-Walker of Ames, Carol Nelson of Macomb, mixed media; Wade Scheel, St. Paul, ceramics; Steve and Stacey Edwards, Des Moines, mixed media; Marit Lee Kucera of St. Paul, Minn., fiber; Tom Hubbell of Omaha, Neb., ceramics.

The gourmet meal, prepared by UNI Catering, will feature seafood paella, gazpacho, relishes, beverage and a cheesecake dessert.

Arts festival

The 23rd annual College Hill Arts Festival is Friday and Saturday at 23rd and College streets, on the University of Northern Iowa campus.

The event takes place from noon to 8 p.m. Friday and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday.

Eighty artists are participating in the juried event. In addition, there will be musical entertainment, children's activities and a Students Only gallery. A new feature will be the One-of-a-Kind Art Box Social and Auction.

There will also be campus tours in conjunction with the University of Northern Iowa's 125th year.