No passport was necessary, but a ticket and good sense of fun gained entry for about 360 people who partied at the chamber of commerce’s annual Not Your Normal Formal Friday night.

The event, themed Around the World with the Chamber, brought people dressed in costumes from all parts of the globe, from Africa to Asia, with a healthy dose of down-to-earth Mainers.

“A costume? I can barely find a tie that matches my suit,” said Art Boulay, who like many of his colleagues, chose to wear business attire to the Ramada Inn gala.

But there were plenty of people who got into the spirit of the event, including Heather Rideout of Filebusters who took the top costume prize in an authentic formal dress from Thailand.

“I was there six years ago and picked this up for the kids for dress-up,” said Rideout, who was the hands-down winner by the crowd’s applause.

Other winners collected dozens of auction items – some silent bids, some conventional bids presided over by turbo-tongued Jody McMorrow.

Jewelry, romantic getaways, iPods, golf packages, gourmet food, art, furnishings and more were auctioned off, all to benefit the Chamber and its many programs. By the intermission, the chamber was well on its way to its $30,000 goal.

“It’s a great social event,” said Ed Cormier of Harriman Associates. “And I love the auction.”

Cormier has handcrafted two Adirondack chairs for the auction for the past three years. Friday they went for $425.

“They get great money, and it all goes to the support the chamber,” he said, professing a deep affection for the business association’s scholarships that are awarded every year. “And basically this night is just plain fun.”