Memorial’s Festival of Trees Gala Tickets Now on Sale

[October 04, 2019]  Memorial’s Festival of Trees Gala, an elegant fundraiser scheduled before the Festival of Trees opening, will begin at 7 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 16, in the Orr Building on the Illinois State Fairgrounds.

Tickets can now be ordered online at MemorialsFestivalof
Trees.com until 3 p.m. Nov. 15th. The formal event includes hors d’oeuvres, wine, beer, soft drinks and dessert; a cash bar for mixed drinks will be available. The gala will include a silent auction and live music.

“Our annual gala is open to the public and, like the Festival of Trees, helps us to raise funds that benefit health care in our community,” said Amanda Johnson, event manager for the Memorial Medical Center Foundation, which coordinates the holiday event. “The gala is a festive event that allows attendees to have a sneak peek at the festival before we officially open.”

Tickets can also be purchased at the Memorial Medical Center Foundation office at 1000 Churchill Road in Springfield, by calling [phone] and at the door.

Memorial’s Festival of Trees will open one week later, running from Nov. 23 to Dec. 1 in the Orr Building. The theme for the 30th annual event is “Jingle Bells and Seashells.”

The festival’s hours are 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Nov. 23, Nov. 25-27 and Nov. 29-30; 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Nov. 24 and Dec. 1; and 4-8 p.m. Nov. 28 (Thanksgiving Day).

Memorial’s Festival of Trees began in 1989 as an event to benefit the healthcare programs offered by Memorial Medical Center. Since then, the festival has raised more than $5.2 million for health-related projects and programs for Memorial Health System and the Springfield community.

For more information about the Festival of Trees, contact the Memorial Medical Center Foundation at [phone] or visit the festival’s website at MemorialsFestivalofTrees.com.

[Michael Leathers]