It’s easy to tell that this year’s Art in the Park exhibit has been popular. There’s nary a blade of grass left between the lines of whales and sharks in Chatham’s Kate Gould Park, the pathways worn smooth by a steady progression of admirers.

 The annual display, sponsored by the Chatham Chamber of Commerce and Merchants Association, ends tomorrow (Friday, Aug. 14), so if you haven’t yet had the opportunity to wander through the rows of colorful sharks and whales, better get down to the park, stat!

 All of the artwork is available to purchase through an online auction that ends at noon Friday. Here’s a few facts about the auction this far.

 The auction includes 71 whales and 14 sharks along with one “Welcome to Chatham” sign.

 Last year’s auction generated 2,636 bids totalling $215,786, the highest amount raised for the event, which has been going on now for around 13 years.

 Leading the bidding as of early this week: Julie Dykens’ whale for Cape Cod Five at $6,000; Steve Swain’s shark for North Chatham Outfitters at $5,000; and Dykens’ whale for her Local Color Gallery at $4,050.

 Fifty-six of the 86 items up for bid are going for $1,000 or more.

 All of these figures are likely to change by the time the auction heads toward its final moments. There’s a link to the auction site on the chamber webpage, www.chathaminfo.com. Half of the total for each shark or whale goes back to the artist who created it; the other half helps support the chamber and merchants association annual events like Oktoberfest and Christmas by the Sea.

Meanwhile, the Oars in the Stores scavenger hunt continues through Labor Day weekend. Oars, also created by local artists, are located in many local shops and businesses. Scavenger hunt booklets are still available at the downtown information booth, at Kate Gould Park and at the chamber visitor center in South Chatham. Each returned, completed booklet earns a small prize, as well as entry into a drawing for a grand prize to be held after Labor Day.

The oars will also be auctioned, with bidding beginning Saturday, Aug. 15, at 8 a.m. and closing on Sept. 11 at 8 p.m. A link to the oars auction will be posted on the chamber website after the Art in the Park auction ends.

ORLEANS – The auction for the 40 decorated surfboards that are part of the Orleans Chamber of Commerce Boards in the Stores event ends on Wednesday, Aug. 19 at 8 p.m. Boards are displayed at the chamber office in Parish Park, at 44 Main St., and in some of the sponsoring stores. 

 As of early this week, the top bid was for Nauset Lantern Shop’s board, by artists Dakota Costa and Ethan Craven, at $1,552. Several other boards have bids of $600.

 A link to the auction site is at www.orleanscapecod.org/boards-in-the-stores.