The Tamaqua Community Art Center is hosting its third annual Big Benefit Concert, an evening of activities and entertainment showcasing the fine and performing arts.

The concert will be held at 7 p.m. Friday at the art center, 125 Pine St., Tamaqua.

The event is one of the Tamaqua Community Art Center’s biggest fundraising events of the year.

The concert features rock, country and original music performed by St. Luke’s Miner’s Campus President Ron Feltenberg, St. Luke’s Hospital President Bill Moyer, Tamaqua Area Community Partnership Director Micah Gursky and Traci Wehbe of Redz Vision. It also features special guests Tamaqua Councilman Tom Cara and local student Andrew Surotchak. Gursky will host the event for a third time.

“This is our opportunity to show the community where music, the arts and community initiative collide,” Gursky said. “We’re grateful of our sponsors and hope that more can join us to help keep our Community Arts Center strong.”

All proceeds will benefit the Tamaqua Community Art Center, a 501(c) (3) nonprofit organization.

Art center Director Leona Rega said the event is what not only makes day-to-day operations possible at the center, but also allows the center to perform major beautification and remodeling projects.

“We are not federally or state funded, so the big benefit concert and other fundraising events play a crucial role to us. It enables us to meet daily requirements and also was crucial when we went to renovate our siding and sidewalk last year,” Rega said. “What we want our donors to realize is that we use their contributions directly toward the center and, in turn, are able to better bridge the community with the world of the arts.”

Those who donate $50 to the art center appear in the program notes. Tickets start at $100 per ticket. A private table that seats four guests is available starting at $1,000. Those feeling especially generous have the option to donate up to $1 million and would have naming rights to the arts center. All donations are tax deductible.

Previous concerts proved to hold a fair share of surprises for guests. Last year state Sen. Dave Argall made a guest appearance with his saxophone.

“This was the first (and perhaps, the last) time I play the saxophone in concert in 40 years,” Argall said. “This fundraising event is a great cause for the community.”

“(The performers) are all people who work 9-to-5 jobs,” Gursky said. “But we share a common love of the arts and want to showcase that to our community while inviting them to join us for future endeavors.”

For more information, contact Leona Rega at 570-668-1192 or Leona@tacp.info or go to tamaquaarts.org.