PORT ANGELES — Tickets are still available for the Festival of Trees Gala, the Senior Breakfast and an expanded version of Family Days.
The three-day festival, an annual fundraiser for the Olympic Medical Center Foundation, begins with the gala on Friday, when decorated Christmas trees and wreaths will be auctioned off.
It continues with the Senior Breakfast on Saturday and Family Days on Saturday and Sunday at Vern Burton Community Center, 308 E. Fourth St. in Port Angeles.
Tickets can be purchased online at omhf.org, by calling 360-417-7144 or by going to the foundation office at 1015 Georgiana St. in Port Angeles.
Now in its 31st year, the festival will display elaborately decorated Christmas trees and wreaths created by area designers.
Decorated for the season, with special premiums attached to them, are 37 live trees. There are four raffle trees, nine silent auction trees — some of which will be auctioned off at Family Days.
Most will be auctioned off at the gala presented by First Federal, which will begin at 5 p.m. Friday.
Those going to the gala can attend either in person or virtually. In the past, the gala has seated some 500 people in person. This year, it will seat about 350 in person at the community center, with 100 attending virtually, said Bruce Skinner, executive director of the OMC Foundation.
Those buying tickets to attend virtually will be given instructions about how to participate online before the event, Skinner said. They will be able to pick up dinner at either the Red Lion Hotel in Port Angeles or Tedesco’s in Sequim, and still have an opportunity to bid on trees or other auction items.
More at Family Days
The popular Teddy Bear Teas were canceled this year because of COVID-19 health concerns, so many elements of the teas were incorporated into Family Days, which are set from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday and from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday.
“Family Days is a lot more youth oriented” than in the past, Skinner said.
Photos with Santa, cartoon characters and children’s games and entertainment will be featured at Family Days, which is presented by The Lodge at Sherwood Village, Fifth Avenue Retirement Center and Sherwood Assisted Living.
Youngsters will be able to have their photos taken with Santa from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. each day. Santa will be seated in a set with kids with a decorated tree in between them, so they will be socially distanced, Skinner said.
The photos can be printed immediately or emailed if desired.
“Festival of Trees is the local kickoff of the holiday season,” Skinner said, “and the most popular feature of Festival of Trees during the weekend is our area youth’s first glimpse of Santa. For entertainment, we have taken the best of the Teddy Bear Tea and put it into Family Days.”
Entertainment for Family Days will feature an appearance by Mrs. Claus at 11 a.m. each day and include performances by the Port Angeles Symphony and Community Players as well as Port Angeles High School strings.
Games and activities will include letters to Santa, basketball hoop toss, golf throw and other games, where youngsters can win prizes.
Attendees 12 and older at all Festival of Trees events will be required to show proof of COVID-19 vaccination or a negative test — any kind of COVID-19 test — within 72 hours. That will include attendance at Family Days, the Festival of Trees Gala on Friday night and the Senior Breakfast.
Here is the schedule of events and ticket prices:
• Friday — Festival of Trees Gala, sponsored by First Federal, at 5 p.m. Buffet dinner, tree auction and silent auction. $105 each.
• Saturday — Senior Breakfast, sponsored by Dungeness Memory Care, at 8:30 a.m. It includes a sit-down breakfast. $12 for adults. Limited tickets will be available at the door.
• Saturday and Sunday — Family Days, sponsored by The Lodge at Sherwood Village, The Fifth Avenue and Sherwood Assisted Living, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday and from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday. Santa Claus photos, public viewing of decorated trees and wreaths, musical entertainers and children’s activity areas. $7 each, kids younger than 8 free.
For more information, call the foundation office at 360-417-7144.
