A fundraiser for the Blue Hills Reservation returns to Canton on Thursday, Sept. 17, when Friends of the Blue Hills holds its annual celebration at the Irish Cultural Center.

The event, called "Blue Hills: The Great Escape," starts at 6 p.m. under a large tent on the center's grounds at 200 New Boston Dr. Attendees can expect cocktails, food, a silent auction and short talks about the reservation, according to the group's event page.

The silent auction includes travel packages, dining experiences and local art. About $50 of each ticket price is tax-deductible, according to the event page. Ticket prices were not listed on the page as of Monday, Aug. 31.

One highlight: a Dream Dinner Raffle drawn that evening.

The prize is a private chef-prepared dinner for up to six guests at the AMC Family Cabins on Ponkapoag Pond inside the reservation. Chef Marc Sheehan, owner and executive chef of Northern Spy in Canton, will prepare the meal, according to the raffle page.

The celebration is also the group's annual fundraiser. About 100 supporters attended the 2025 edition on Sept. 18, 2025, at the same venue, and the organization described the night as record-breaking for fundraising, though it did not publish a specific dollar figure.

Proceeds support trail maintenance, wildlife habitat protection, educational programs and community events across the reservation, which spans parts of Milton, Canton, Quincy, Braintree, Randolph and Dedham. The reservation, managed by the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR), was established in 1893 as one of the state's first public recreation areas.

Friends of the Blue Hills, a Canton-based nonprofit, said on its Facebook page that the reservation gives residents "space to breathe, explore, connect, and escape." One longtime member wrote on the event page that he enjoyed last year's location and raffles.

Business casual attire is encouraged. Parking is available in a lot at the end of the road, with a wooden walkway leading to the tent. Handicap parking is next to the Irish Cultural Center. Melissa Nelson is listed as the event organizer, and details are available on the group's event page.

More Blue Hills events: The Coalition for a Better Blue Hills hosts BlueHillsFest, a free all-day event across the reservation, on Saturday, Sept. 26. Details are at betterbluehills.org.