The Soo Locks Children's Museum is hosting a dueling pianos fundraiser Saturday, Oct. 3, at the Kewadin Casino Grand Ballroom in Sault Ste. Marie.

The nonprofit says construction on the museum is on track to finish by December, according to a press release first published by the Soo Leader. A Michigan Senate appropriations filing earlier this year had estimated completion by February 2027. No official opening date has been announced.

The fundraiser runs from 6 to 9 p.m. Tickets cost $50 per person, plus fees, and are available at the Kewadin Box Office and online at Kewadin.com/tickets.

The evening includes hors d'oeuvres, a silent auction and a live dueling pianos performance where audience members can request songs by tipping the pianists. Tips also support the museum. Silent auction items include an International Bridge tour, Native crafts, original artwork, outdoor gear and gift baskets.

The 222-seat ballroom has room to fill.

"We are so close to seeing this dream become a reality," board president Raquel Fernandez-Earns said in the Sept. 30 press release. "This evening is really about celebrating how far we've come and bringing people together for a great night."

The museum sits one block from the Soo Locks in downtown Sault Ste. Marie. Once complete, it will house 11 exhibits focused on the region's history and culture, including a miniature lock, a hockey slapshot speed meter and displays on freighters, lighthouses and shipwrecks, according to the Soo Evening News.

The nonprofit received a $41,900 grant from the Michigan Arts and Culture Council in April to help cover construction and operating costs. The Senate appropriations filing, sponsored by Sen. John N. Damoose, also sought $1,150,000 for the museum's final buildout, including interactive exhibits, furnishings and a maker space.

The filing noted the museum had previously received $606,333 in federal, state and local funding. It also cited Chippewa County data showing one in five children lives in poverty and nearly 60 percent of preschool-aged children do not participate in structured early learning programs.

The museum's board has outlined planned partnerships with the Sault Tribe of Chippewa Indians and Bay Mills Indian Community for workforce training and cultural programming, according to the Senate filing.