The 23rd Annual Festival of Trees, held November 17 – 20, 2011, was a resounding success. Again, the Festival captured the imagination of the young, and the young at heart, in the spirit of the Holiday Season ahead.
The Festival of Trees was launched by the Gala Event and Auction. Over 400 people gathered for an elegant evening of dining followed by an exciting fast-paced auction of many fabulous items.
Mistletoe Magic was a new event held in 2011 and received accolades from attendees. It was an evening of sampling our city’s finest food and wine. Delectable goodies were in abundance during an evening of entertainment including a fire show and aerial act. Everyone also had the opportunity to participate in sleigh rides through the winter wonderland display of lights. We would like to extend a special thank you to all of the participating food and drink establishments for making this event a huge hit.
Another new feature in 2011 was the Gingerbread Train, a 48ft train with Gingerbread entries full of artful and tasteful delights. The imagination, ingenuity and generosity of the creators were appreciated by all. Many auction bidders “left the station” with a festive piece to call their own.
The third new addition to this year’s Festival was the Candy Shop, a dream come true for children and anyone with a sweet tooth!
Staging an event like this each year is dependent on the commitment and enthusiasm of many volunteers to which we owe a huge thank you. No matter what happens, they always pull through and make the event a memorable time for all.
We would also like to express our most heartfelt appreciation to the County of Grande Prairie Fire Service for all of the work they did in preparing all of the venues for this event. This is an enormous undertaking in a short time-frame and again they demonstrated their determination and excellence in pulling it all together. Great job!
And of course the Festival of Trees would not be so successful year after year without the participation of the community. The QEII Hospital Foundation thanks everyone for supporting your hospital by attending this annual event and we look forward to seeing you again in 2012.
