Seventeen teams will gather Friday at the Suttons Bay School athletic fields to raise money for the American Cancer Society in the annual Leelanau County Relay for Life.

A color guard from VFW Post #7731 from Lake Leelanau will be there to raise the flag in the opening ceremony set for 6 p.m. Bridgette Kulpa, a 2012 Suttons Bay graduate will sing the national anthem. Rev. Michael Janowski from Lake Leelanau St. Mary will provide a blessing.

The 24-hour event, organized by local volunteers, brings together people of all ages to remember those lost to cancer; celebrate victories and fight back against cancer.

It will have live musical entertainment by “Lost Cause,” “Willie and the Wannabee” and Elizabeth Minor as well as health and fitness activities.

The Grand Traverse Pipes & Drums will perform as part of the moving luminaria ceremony, scheduled at 9:15 p.m. Caregiver and cancer survivor Deb Herman is the scheduled speaker.

The teams will walk all night and ease into Saturday morning with yoga and kick into Zumba with Kathy Koch.

Cancer survivor Paula Swink of Lake Leelanau is the featured speaker for the survivor ceremony at 11 a.m.

Each team will have silent auctions at their tents offering items ranging from guided fishing trips on the Bear Creek in Manistee County to a handcrafted stone lamp by Empire artist Dana MacLellan.

Closing ceremony begins at 5:30 p.m. Saturday.

Those who can’t make it to the field during the relay may donate toward the effort by going to www.relay.org and typing in Suttons Bay for the location.