Starting off the season for holiday activities, members of the State College community will come together to create innovative Christmas trees at The 10th annual Festival of Trees.
From Dec. 8 to 12, The Festival of Trees will be held at the Penn State Agricultural Arena from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. The Festival of Trees is a fund-raising event in which local businesses, clubs, civic groups and families sponsor and decorate Christmas trees.
Event coordinator Jennifer Corman said all proceeds raised will benefit the State College Family YMCA's annual Strong Kids Campaign.
"The Strong Kids Campaign helps us to provide services to youth and families in the area," Corman said.
"Services include child care, summer camp and swimming lessons. This fund allows children to participate in such activities they otherwise would not be able to participate in due to lack of funds."
Attendees can come to experience 100 decorated trees, eat food from holiday shop vendors and buy holiday gifts from local arts and craftsman.
Corman has prepared for this event extensively, beginning last spring when she ordered 96 6- to 8-foot and four 10- to 12-foot Douglas firs from Pine Grove Nursery Inc., Clearfield.
This is the fourth consecutive year Pine Grove Nursery has supplied the trees, and Corman said she could count on their quality.
About 25 hours of setup time will be put in Sunday through Tuesday prior to the opening of the festival on Wednesday.
On Sunday, members of the YMCA Management Team and other volunteers transport barrels, tarps and decorations from a local storage unit to the Agriculture Arena and decorate the viewing room, as well as prepare for Monday's arrival of the trees.
"The trees are delivered on Monday, and on Tuesday, groups, organizations, and families come in to decorate," Corman said.
Corman said local girl and boy scout troops, businesses and families look forward to decorating each year, and they tend to go "all out" with their novel creations.
"There is one family in particular who goes all out," Corman said. "The Harpster/Dickinson Family always comes up with something just breathtaking."
Corman said that last year their tree, "Make a Joyful Noise," was a hit, where any and every instrument imaginable could be found on the tree.
Guests can even expect to see a tree decorated by Centre Area Transportation Authority (CATA). CATA's Marketing Coordinator Jacqueline Sheader said people could expect more than just buses on this tree.
"This year we will be making the tree mostly orange," Sheader said. "Each year we try to do it a bit differently. We try to decorate a tree that expresses CATA's mission -- to provide reliable transportation to the Centre region."
Sheader also said her husband will make his yearly appearance as Santa Claus. Children and adults can have their picture taken with him from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, from noon to 2 p.m. Saturday, and from 3 to 6 p.m. Sunday.
In addition to viewing trees and visiting Santa, visitors can shop at the nine craftsmen booths that sell handmade products, everything from handmade wooden pens and jewelry to sweaters from Guatemala.
Georgiana Walton, from Walton Crafts, said she was excited to be a part of the nine people who sell their products at the event.
"My husband and I specialize in painted wood," Walton said. "He cuts wood, and I paint on it. I do a lot of nativities and the other girls make angels and jewelry. Our stuff blends very well together, and makes great holiday gifts." Admission to the event is a $1 donation; however, most people bring a few extra dollars to participate in the tree-decorating contests.
When people attend the event, they can donate spare change into barrels in front of their favorite tree to vote for what they consider to be the best trees.
Corman said she is grateful for the visitors who have used $5, $10 and $20 bills to vote for their favorite trees.
"The event is just another wonderful example of the philanthropic and compassionate nature of the Centre County community," she said.
