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About the Event
April 11th, 2026
Bayfront Convention Center, Erie PA
Omni William Penn Hotel, Pittsburgh PA
The evening will include an in-person event with a live auction and speakers.
The silent auction will take place the week leading up to the in-person event. Guests are encouraged to wear Cocktail Attire to the gala.
Now in our 31st year, Bids for the Kids continues to bring our community together in support of incredible causes. Each donation, big or small, ensures we can keep making a meaningful impact!
BFTK Event History
Bids for the Kids started in 1995 as a way for at the time GE Leadership Programs, now the Wabtec LEAD Program, to help the local children of Erie and Northwestern Pennsylvania.
Since then, this event has grown from a simple company-wide event into an Erie and Pittsburgh community mainstay. The 2025 Bids for the Kids event raised $300,000.
Over the last 30 years, Bids for the Kids has raised over $3 million dollars to support the local chapters of the Boys and Girls Club, Make-A-Wish Foundation, Shriners Children's Hospital, and UPMC Children's Hospital, so they can provide young girls and boys hope and comfort in their time of need.
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