One of Lawrence’s prettiest fundraisers will soon return. The Festival of Trees, a fundraiser for O’Connell Children’s Shelter, will kick off public viewing hours on Friday.
Area businesses, organizations and groups donate Christmas trees and wreaths — some decorated traditionally, some nontraditionally — to be auctioned. The trees will be on display for community members to view through next weekend.
There are also several associated events coming up, including cookies with Santa and more.
The annual tradition is in its 38th year. The organization it benefits “now has five residential homes for youth in the foster care system and also has programs that provide crisis intervention and prevention services for local and area children and families,” according to its website.
All events are held at Maceli’s, 1031 New Hampshire St. in downtown Lawrence.
Want to make sure you don’t forget about the events you see here? Click the linked day in each event to jump over to it on our calendar, where you can quickly add it to your Google, Apple, Outlook or other virtual calendar or share it on social media and tag the folks you want to take with you.
Also, be sure to check out more of our holiday coverage: we’ve rounded up all the upcoming holiday markets, musical performances, chances to see Santa and other festive fun that we can find.
Viewing hours are as follows:
O’Connell suggests a donation of $5 for adults and children older than 6 for admission.
• 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Friday, Nov. 29
• Noon to 8 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 30
• 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 1
• 1:30 to 8 p.m. Monday, Dec. 2
• 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 3
• 2 to 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 4
• 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 5
• 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Friday, Dec. 6
• 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 7
• 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 8
More Festival of Trees events:
Several other events are also part of the Festival of Trees this year. We’ve noted if tickets are required.
• Breakfast with Santa — 10 a.m. to noon Saturday, Nov. 30. Santa will be at Maceli’s to eat breakfast with ticketed guests, and $5 from every meal purchased will support O’Connell. Find more info and tickets at this link.
• Cocktails and Carols — Doors open at 8 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 30. The organization suggests a donation of $10. “Enjoy festive themed cocktails from the mixologists of Maceli’s and the jazzy Holiday tunes of the Marvelous Mistletones as you explore the fabulous tree, wreath and gingerbread creations of this year’s Festival of Trees.”
• Cookies with Santa — 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. Monday and Tuesday, Dec. 2 and 3. Grab a sweet treat with Santa. The organization suggests a $5 donation for adults and kids ages 3 and up, or $20 for a family of four or more.
• Auction Party — Check-in begins at 5:30 and the live auction begins at 7 p.m. Friday, Dec. 6. Tickets to the auction party are $75 apiece and include “a buffet of heavy appetizers and dessert selections and complimentary wine and beer,” according to the website. Those are available at this link.
• Holiday Trivia at the Festival of Trees is set for 7 p.m. Wednesday. Tickets cost $25 per person, or you can purchase tickets for a team of four for $100. Tickets might be available at the door but they’ll probably sell out ahead of time via this link.
• Christmas Parade Breakfast — 9 to 11 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 7, ahead of the Lawrence Old-Fashioned Christmas Parade. Find more info and tickets at this link.
Employees of O’Connell recently announced a push to unionize. Read more about that in this article.
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