Cue the James Bond theme music (the old James Bond as in Sean Connery); now imagine four international hot spots that are full of intrigue, romance and yes, perhaps a little danger. Now imagine visiting them all in the course of one evening. Disco in Casablanca, tango in Buenos Aires, karaoke in Tokyo and Celtic music in a London pub—it’s the Friends of the Fine Arts Center’s Annual Benefit Gala and Auction at the Hotel Northampton, Saturday, January 31st, 6:30 PM to 11:30 PM. It’s a gala evening that is full of great entertainment, food, and auction items donated by local businesses.

Returning this year is the online auction that everyone, not just Gala attendees, will have the opportunity to bid on the many wonderful items offered through the auction. The online auction begins Thursday, January 1st and ends at 6 PM Sunday, February 1st. To access the online auction go to www.umassfineartscenter.cmarket.com

Lead sponsors for the Gala are Northampton Cooperative Bank and the Hotel Northampton. In-kind sponsors include the Daily Hampshire Gazette, WEIB 106.3FM and Tiger Press. Sustaining sponsors include Fallon Community Health, Finck & Perras Insurance, Motoko Inoue, Juster Pope Frazier, Architects, PeoplesBank, Prudential Sawicki Real Estate, Mark & Sarah Tanner, 106.3 Smooth.FM WEIB.