Annual Brenner Children’s Hospital Festival of Trees Rings in Holiday Season

November 3, 2011

A festive winter village full of shops, a gingerbread village, holiday sounds and a collection of more than 60 elaborately decorated Christmas trees will highlight the 24th annual Festival of Trees. The annual November tradition in the Education Building at the Dixie Classic Fairgrounds benefits patients and programs at Brenner Children’s Hospital at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center.

The 2011 Festival of Trees will be held Saturday, Nov. 19, from 9 a.m. until 6 p.m., and Sunday, Nov. 20, from noon until 5 p.m. Admission is $6 for adults and $3 for children ages 2-12. Tickets are sold only at the door, and parking is free.

Festival highlights include a children’s activities area, holiday entertainment, shopping and impressive displays of decorated miniature trees and wreaths available for purchase. There will also be the popular sparkling array of 40 large Christmas trees, 7½- feet tall, each decorated in a particular holiday theme by community volunteers and the Friends of Brenner Children’s Hospital.

Santa Claus will arrive Saturday morning for a special breakfast from 9-10 a.m. and will listen to every child’s wish list. Children under 12 may go to the children’s activities area to make crafts, play games or visit the Children’s Shop (no adults allowed) and purchase gifts, all under $5, for family, teachers and friends.

“The Festival of Trees is an event that brings the community together to raise money for programs that help Brenner patients and their families,” said Susan Kennedy, director of development and alumni events at Wake Forest Baptist. “We encourage everyone to come celebrate the holidays with us and support the pediatric programs at Brenner Children’s Hospital.”

The festival will have a wide range of specialty shops with an assortment of gifts, including items from Dewey’s Bakery, Journey Lockets, Big Boss Baking Company, Nina’s Lil Bowtique, Mainstream Boutique and Thirty-One Gifts.

Shoppers may bid on gingerbread houses through a silent auction in the festival’s Gingerbread Village, or purchase decorated miniature trees and wreaths. For non-shoppers who attend for the holiday atmosphere, entertainment will be provided by such groups as the Whitaker Elementary School Chorus, Snappy Tappers and Academy of Dance Arts.

For more information, contact Erin McCloskey in the Office of Development and Alumni Affairs at Wake Forest Baptist at (336) 716-4714.

Media Relations

Eric Whittington: ewhittin@wakehealth.edu, 336-716-5318

Lisa Davanzo: news@wakehealth.edu, 336-713-4587