Friday Harbor glammed up for the Friday Harbor Film Festival’s Oscar Night fundraiser on Sunday, Feb. 26. Many people dressed up as movie characters, Meryl Streep made an appearance, and even the paparazzi stalked the “famous” people at the event.

“This fundraiser is a way to bring all supporters together to enhance the film festival,” said Jessica Lansfield, Friday Harbor Film Festivals managing director.

The dinner, $60 per person, included wine and appetizers, as well as an auction with renowned auctioneer Jay Fritz. Friday Harbor Film Festival Executive Director Lynn Danaher had been working on a fundraising idea centered around the Oscars for some time, and this year all the planning came to fruition.

The funds raised will help future film festival events, like their winter showings which showcase the audience choice films every second and third Tuesday of the month. This year is also the first ever “audience choice award tour.” According to Lansfield, the film festival will be showing films that received audience choice awards during the 2016 festival to a New York City audience.

“People in New York City are going to be watching ‘Taming Wild, a girl and her mustang’,” Danaher said. “Taming Wild” is a documentary by local horsewoman Elsa Sinclair.

For the next stop, in June, the films will be shown in Hawaii. During this leg of the tour, Haida Hereditary chief Allan Wilson, who was featured during the film “Haida Gwaii” will be attending, along with his Hawaiian cousins. While this year the tour is only a two-stop tour, Lansfield says the film festival is hoping to expand it next year.

“We are bringing the message of the importance of the Salish Sea around the world,” Danaher said.

For more information about the Friday Harbor Film Festival, including the schedule of the winter showings, visit their website, www.fhff.org.