WHAT TO EXPECT:
The 2026 Southwest aquarium Keepers Event (SAKE) is on Saturday, April 25, 2026. The location will be at the Sun City West Foundation, 14465 West R H Johnson Blvd., Sun City West, AZ, 85375.
When you arrive at the Sun City West Foundation there is a building complex with multiple rooms and doors. SAKE is located on the left side of the complex as you look at the buildings from the street. We are not in the larger building on the left side, but in rooms just to the right of it.
ATTENDEE REGISTRATION: The first thing you need to do at the Southwest Aquarium Keepers Event (SAKE) is to enter the Webb room (right-hand of two front doors) and receive your name badge with your registration/bidder number from the attendee registration table. This is where you can purchase raffle tickets and SAKE t-shirts. These purchases are CASH ONLY. The Webb Room doors open for attendee registration at 8:30 AM.
AUCTION ITEM REGISTRATION: This begins at 8:30 AM. If you are bringing items for the auctions, we ask that you fill out an auction form BEFORE you arrive. We will send this out to registered attendees in an e-mail. This will really save a lot of time. If possible, please e-mail a copy of your auction list to john.kukowski@gmail.com. If you are unable to print the form, you can provide the same information to John Kukowski.
After you have signed in at the attendee registration table in the Webb room, if you have auction items and have not completed an auction item registration form, please fill out one (or more) in the Webb room. Blank forms will be available in the Webb room. When you have completed the auction item registration form, go back outside and enter the Powell Room (left-hand front door). Present your items and completed auction item registration form(s) to the auction item registration team. The team will designate whether an item should be placed in the silent or the regular auction. They will also reject any unsuitable items. We will only accept items for the silent auction up to 10:30 AM. Any items registered after 10:30 AM will be placed in the regular auction.
AUCTION DONATIONS: DONATE OR SELL: Since SAKE is a FREE event, it is solely funded by generous donations from –
• aquarium product companies
• Arizona tropical fish and pet stores
• you
Please consider bringing items for the auctions – aquarium fish, plants, live food cultures, decorations, aquarium books and magazines, and aquarium equipment. Please donate them to help offset our costs. Expenses for SAKE run from $2,500 – $4,500 so every donated auction item helps defray costs. Anything “fish-related” is welcome as a donation.
1. ALL of the items you bring for the auction will be a 100% donation unless –
a. You are an out-of-state attendee. If so, your auction items will be sold at a 50% split. You can specify that some of your items are donations and for others you want to receive the 50% split. A separate auction item registration form should be completed – one for sale items and another for donated items.
b. If you live in Arizona, have an online business, and want to sell your items, contact azkillie@yahoo.com for permission to sell. If your items are sold instead of donated, they will be sold with a 50% split. If you wish to sell some items and donate others, please fill out separate auction item registration forms for each category.
2. Any aquarium equipment placed in the auction should be new or clean and in working condition.
3. All fish must be in plastic fish bags (like you receive at a pet store) or in breathable bags – no baggies! Plastic fish bags should be filled one third or less with water. Breathable bags should have little or no air in the bags. Aquatic plants can be in baggies without water (it helps to add a damp piece of a paper towel to the bag) or in regular fish bags with water.
4. LIMITS: Please do not bring more than THREE of the same item for the auction.
5. Please label all items with your registration number, a description of the item including quantity.
NOTE: ALL types of fish are welcome. We have had speakers in the past on cichlids and other fishes. There has even been a sanctioned Betta show. We also anticipate some prize-winning guppies will be in the auction this year.
SILENT AUCTION PURCHASES: The silent auction ends at 2:45 PM. It takes a while to sort who won which bids, bunch their items, and enter this into the computer. Consequently, you will be unable to pick up your winnings until 5:00 PM. If you cannot stay until 5:00, please do not bid on silent auction items. You can collect your winning bids from the silent auction after 5 PM and, if you are staying for the final session of the regular auction, you can defer paying until you are ready to leave.
IF YOU NEED TO LEAVE EARLY: The first session of the Regular Auction begins at 2:45. If you purchase one or more items during the session, you can pay for it at any time during the auction or when it ends at 3:30. If there is a specific item you wish to bid upon, contact Allan Semeit BEFORE the auction starts and we can pull that item and include it in the first session.
CASH OR CREDIT/DEBIT CARDS: These are acceptable for auction purchases. All your silent and regular auction purchases are combined into one bill which you can pay at 5 PM or afterwards.
RAFFLE: Tickets will be available at the attendee registration table. Raffle items will be displayed along the wall next to the parking lot in the Webb room. During the raffle, runners will pull items and those items will be awarded to the holder of the winning ticket. If you win an item and are not in the room, your winning item(s) and your winning ticket will be placed along the wall behind the front podium.
FOOD AND DRINK: Free soda pop and bottled water will be available, subject to the amount on hand. The venue does not permit alcoholic beverages on the premises. We will have a lunch break from noon to 1:00 PM. You can either bring something to eat or go out to a restaurant or store nearby. We will also have a dinner break from 5:00 to 5:30 PM where food will be provided.
CLOSING TIME: We are required to be out of the building by 9 PM. Typically, the final auction is over by 8 PM. We ask that you please clean up around you before you leave.