The 32 artist-created lighthouses lining the streets of Saugerties will soon find their way into people’s homes. “Shine on Saugerties,” which began with the installation of the miniature beacons in July, will culminate with a gala and auction on Saturday, October 8. The lighthouse design, handmade by Skip Arthur, is based on the 1869 Saugerties Lighthouse, the oldest continuously operating lighthouse on the Hudson River, which sits at the mouth of the Esopus Creek in Saugerties.

The benefit will take place on the lawn of the historic Kiersted House in the Village of Saugerties at 6 p.m., with an hour of live music, hors d’oeuvres and a final promenade past the 32 pieces to be auctioned off that evening. The bidding will begin at 7 p.m.

Michael Campbell, one of the event’s organizers, said that “Shine on Saugerties” is symbolic of what the community represents, including its charitable spirit. The auction proceeds will benefit the Chamber of Commerce, the Catskill Animal Sanctuary and three other community groups. But, according to Campbell, there’s another element to events like these that can be overlooked. “The purpose, as corny as this is going to sound, is to keep things going in Saugerties,” he said. “The constant drumbeat of everything we do keeps Saugerties cool.”

While the inaugural “Shine on Saugerties” in 2010 tapped into the connection between local artists and HITS-on-the-Hudson by featuring small carousel horses as the subjects, the 2011 street art lighthouses may or may not stick around in 2012. Campbell said that the committee will likely make a decision about this at its November meeting.

All ticketholders for the 300-maximum-capacity auction and gala will be eligible for a number of door prizes donated by local businesses. Tickets for the event and other info can be found at www.welcometosaugerties.com/shineonsaugerties.php. For further information, call (845)246-0553. If you can’t make it to the auction, but want to place a reserve bid or be connected by cell phone for bidding on one or more lighthouses that night, call (800) 957-0124 and leave a message. To learn more about the working Saugerties Lighthouse, which also serves as a bed-and-breakfast, visit www.saugertieslighthouse.com.