Iqaluit (Sep 06/04) - Lovers of music, yard sales and slightly burnt hot dogs huddled together on an enjoyable, but chilly evening for the Niqiniknuatsivik Nunavut Food Bank's first annual Beats for Eats fundraiser.

Manasie Mark plays a catchy tune on the piano during the Beats for Eats fundraiser held in Iqaluit for the Niqiniknuatsivik Nunavut Food Bank, Aug. 27. - Brent Reaney/NNSL photo

The fundraiser, held outside Nakasuk school on Aug. 27, showcased performers such as Higher Ground, Manasie Mark and many others.

They played music while hundreds of people sat and listened or poked their way through a sort of art sale meets garage sale featuring anything from photos to carvings to old clothes.

On one side of the area, the barbecue flames roasted hundreds of wieners for hungry bargain hunters and concert goers.

Those not bellying up to the long line-up for hot dogs could be seen across the parking lot sizing up clothes that just might fit, or purchasing brand-new fleece sweaters donated by event sponsors for the yard sale.

"It was busy at first to the point of scary," said Rae-Lynne Patterson, who was selling some stuff she no longer needed.

"And then it got below freezing," added friend Nikki Smith, moving back and forth to keep warm in the low single-digit weather.

Among the stranger donations to the sale were a wire sculpted reindeer lined with mini christmas tree lights and a three-foot-tall plastic Santa Claus.

Apparently, the vendor in charge of selling the holiday items was willing to let them go for "next to nothing."

Too bad most people don't have peaked roofs to mount the ornaments on.

Two truckloads of food and $2,700 were collected during the event, said food bank secretary Jen Hayward.

While vendors who rented tables for $15 were allowed to keep their profits, Hayward said some people approached her at the end of the night with half of their earnings.

"We heard from a lot of people that they had a good time. We're certainly looking forward to making this an annual event," she said.

Without a permanent home, finding storage space has always been a problem for the food bank, but Hayward said Arctic Express has made more storage space available to help accommodate the supplies brought in by the event.