SWAMPSCOTT — The Town is preparing to host its first Festival of Trees, which starts on Dec. 1 and lasts until Dec. 6. The event will be hosted by the Recreation Department at the former Clarke Elementary School.
The event will run from 4-8 p.m. on Dec. 1 to Dec. 5, and the hours will be from 12-6 p.m. on Dec. 6.
Recreation Director Charlotte Daher de Garcia spoke about bringing the festival to residents for the first time, who said she was “super excited” to launch the event.
“It’s something that, growing up, I’ve attended in various towns and cities. Having the space at Clarke Elementary School was a perfect excuse to bring it to town,” Daher de Garcia said. “We’ll be open five days, four hours a day. … Community members can come, view the trees, and make crafts; it’s a nice way for people to get into the holiday spirit with no cost.”
She continued, saying that attendees will be greeted at the doors by “holiday helpers,” which are members of the Town’s Senior Tax Work-Off program.
Daher de Garcia explained that while the event is free to experience, people will have the option of purchasing raffle tickets in order to potentially take home a Christmas tree. They can buy 25 tickets just for $5.
“People can simply come to view the trees, though if they do buy tickets, they can leave them with the trees that they like,” she said. “We’ll also have students from the middle and high schools volunteering their time to do crafts in the classrooms.”
The week following Dec. 6 is when the raffle tickets will be drawn to determine the winners of the various trees.
Proceeds from the festival will go toward the Department’s programs and events that are held at the Clarke building.
Proceeds from the first annual event will be reinvested into the Recreation Department, in order to help cover some of the costs associated with the department utilizing the school building.
“Our hope is that as the festival becomes a holiday tradition, we’ll be able to invite local nonprofits and community groups to apply to be beneficiaries in the years ahead,” she said.
For those who wish to pitch in for the cause, they can go online to donate trees or wreaths, which will be set up on Nov. 30, Daher de Garcia said. Community members that may wish to donate can visit https://swampscottma.myrec.com/info/default.aspx.
Daher de Garcia said she hopes the event brings smiles to peoples’ faces.
“I hope it helps get them in the holiday spirit. It’s just one more thing that the Town can offer people. … It might only take you 30 minutes or an hour of your time to come in and view the creativity from all the people that are donating, it’s a great way for people to see what we’ve done so far at Clarke,” she said.
