 A week before the festival begins, the public can attend the annual
Memorial Festival of Trees Gala, an elegant preview fundraiser
beginning at 7 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 16, in the Orr Building. Food,
beverages, live music and a silent auction are part of the program.
For ticket information,
click here.The festival's hours are 10 a.m.
to 8 p.m. on Nov. 23, Nov. 25-27 and Nov. 29-30; from 10 a.m. to 5
p.m. Nov. 24 and Dec. 1; and from 4 to 8 p.m. on Nov. 28,
Thanksgiving Day.
"With the busy pace so many of us feel as the holidays approach,
the festival is a wonderful place to bring the entire family to
relax and reflect on the season," said Cherrilyn Mayfield, 2013
chair of Memorial's Festival of Trees.
This year's theme, "Rejoice!," will be reflected in the more than
160 beautifully decorated trees and wreaths, Mayfield said. A
20-foot Christmas tree will be featured as the centerpiece
decoration in the Orr Building.
Visitors can expect to see the return of popular family-friendly
attractions, including the Gingerbread Village, Holiday Market,
Little Elves' Workshop, Candy Cane Express and Holiday Kitchen.
"Each year the holiday means something different to everyone,"
said Elena Kezelis, executive director of the Memorial Medical
Center Foundation, which sponsors the festival. "Our hope is that
the thousands of families and visitors who come to Memorial's
Festival of Trees will enjoy the colorful displays and be caught up
in the magic of the season."
Children can also have their photos
taken with Santa for $6 every day during the festival. The hours for
Santa are:
-
Saturday, Nov. 23:
10 a.m.-1 p.m., 1:30-4:30 p.m. and 5-8 p.m.
-
Sunday, Nov. 24: 10
a.m.-1 p.m., 1:30-5 p.m. and 5-8 p.m.
-
Monday, Nov. 25,
through Wednesday, Nov. 27: 5-8 p.m.
-
Thursday, Nov. 28:
4-8 p.m.
-
Friday, Nov. 29,
and Saturday, Nov. 30: 10 a.m.-1 p.m., 1:30-4:30 p.m. and 5-8
p.m.
-
Sunday, Dec. 1: 10 a.m.-1 p.m. and
1:30-5 p.m.
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Admission for Memorial's Festival of Trees is $5 for adults and
$3 for children ages 3-12. Admission is free for children 2 and
younger. Senior citizens who are 65 years old and older receive a
reduced admission of $3 on Nov. 26, which is designated as Senior
Day.
Proceeds from the Festival of Trees support programs and projects
at Memorial Medical Center.
During its 24 years, Memorial's Festival of Trees has raised more
than $3.2 million to support a variety of programs to help Memorial
Health System fulfill its mission to improve the health of the
people and communities it serves. Last year, nearly 30,000 visitors
attended the festival.
PNC Bank returns as the principal sponsor.
For more information about the event, contact the Memorial
Medical Center Foundation at 217-788-4700 or visit
MemorialsFestivalOfTrees.com.
[Text from
Memorial Medical Center
Foundation news release]
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