HOULTON, Maine – The big red century-old barn on Foxcroft Road has again transformed into a holiday wonderland for the Houlton Health Services Foundation Festival of Trees slated to open on Friday Nov. 10.
The annual event, now in its 10th year, draws thousands of visitors from all over Maine and Canada, said Lori Weston, executive director of the Health Services Foundation. And last year’s event raised $71,000 from $1 tickets.
“I can’t get over the generosity and the uniqueness of what peo[ple put into the trees,” Weston said. “It’s just incredible.”
Proceeds go to new equipment and programs for the hospital and other area non profit health organizations.
What really makes the event fun, is to see the inventiveness in the various tree creations, she said. With over 50 decorated trees, some will be traditional, some offbeat, some decorated with gas and grocery gift cards and others with handmade items.
The Houlton Regional Hospital OB Department’s tree theme is Barbie. And the Friends and Needles Quilt Guild’s tree is packed with handmade items like mittens that they hope the person who wins the tree will give some mittens to others, Weston said.
“It’s a gift,” she said. “Not only do you get a decorated tree, but you can give things away as gifts to others.”
The deadline for tree donations has passed and donors will begin bringing the decorated trees to the barn for set-up on Monday at 7 a.m., Weston said. The Festival of Trees doors will open to the general public on Friday at Noon.
Visitors can purchase raffle tickets for the trees at $1 each and drop the tickets into baskets in front of favored trees. The drawing will take place on Nov. 19 at 2 p.m.
