Goodwill Announces 2010 Festival of Trees Dates and Times

Aug. 31, 2010 - PRLog -- Southwest Florida’s fastest-growing holiday tradition, the Festival of Trees, will once again open the holiday season at the Sidney and Berne Davis Art Center (2301 First Street, Fort Myers).  The Festival will open on Friday, Nov. 26 and conclude on Friday, Dec. 3.  Hours will vary throughout the week.

Last year, more than 4,000 people visited the beautiful free holiday display in the Fort Myers River District.  For photos of the 2009 event, please visit http://www.tuxandtrees.org.

The 2010 Festival of Trees will open on the day after Thanksgiving, says Kirsten O’Donnell, Director of Public Relations for Goodwill Industries of Southwest Florida, which organizes the event.  “We have a lot of people who stop by on Black Friday,” explains O’Donnell.  “It’s a great way to decompress after a hectic day at the mall.”

The Festival’s opening weekend is expected to be a busy one.  On Saturday, November 27, the Festival will be one of the featured stops on the Fort Myers Holiday Stroll.  The internationally acclaimed “Spirit of the Gulf” chorus will once again sing on the Art Center steps as Mayor Henderson lights the River District.

During the opening weekend, the Festival will also feature a “Children’s Workshop,” where youngsters can create holiday gifts for their friends and families. An admission fee will apply to the Children’s Workshop.

During the week, the Festival of Trees will be closed for just one day, Wednesday, December 1, but will remain open longer than in past years.  “We’re expanding the event to include a second Friday,” says O’Donnell “We’re excited because this will be first year that the Festival will be part of the Art Walk.”

The Festival will once again wrap up with the “Tux & Trees Gala,” a black-tie fundraiser for the Southwest Florida Goodwill Foundation.  This year’s Gala will be held on Saturday, Dec. 4.  Tickets to the Gala will be available at the event website: http://www.tuxandtrees.com

The Festival of Trees and the Tux & Trees Gala are the signature fundraising events for the Southwest Florida Goodwill Foundation.  In just three years, these events have raised more than $150,000 to support Goodwill’s programs and services.

The Festival of Trees is currently seeking sponsors, decorators, and volunteers interested in participating in this year’s event.  For more information, visit http://www.tuxandtrees.com or call (239) 995-2106 ext. 249.

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The Festival of Trees and Tux & Trees Gala are held annually in the Fort Myers River District, beginning the day after Thanksgiving. The events are the signature fundraisers of the Southwest Florida Goodwill Foundation.