Spring Time is Bunko Time

Soroptimist International of Friday Harbor will be hosting one of their popular Bunko fundraisers on May 30 at 6:00 pm at the Grange Hall. Getting into spring with a Garden Party theme, the evening will feature garden items for raffle, auction and door prizes. Appetizers and adult beverages will be garden fresh.

What, you ask, is Bunko? Bunko began in 18th century England as a parlor game called “Eight Cloth Dice”. In 1855 a gambler turned it into a waging game called Banco, Bunco, or Bunko. The game traveled across America to San Francisco sending shock waves through the gold laden town. The term “Bunko Artist” derives from swindlers of the game adept at cheating miners out of hard earned gold and claims. Later Bunko evolved into a parlor game, no gambling involved. During Prohibition in the 1920’s, Bunko Parlors sprang up as covers for Speakeasies and law enforcement officers raiding these parlors became known as Bunko Squads. Today this 200 year old dice game, requiring only luck, is a popular social activity. Word to the wise, what happens at Bunko, stays at Bunko!

Tickets are $20 and available at the Spa d’Bune or the Toy Box. Proceeds support Soroptimist scholarships and community projects. Learn more at www.sifri.org.

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