Festival of Trees adds opening ceremonies

Bigger-than-life ornaments to be lit on Wednesday

PORT ANGELES — Christmas displays were donated to the Olympic Medical Center Foundation from Microsoft will be featured in a new Festival of Trees opening ceremonies event set for 5 p.m. Wednesday.

The opening will be outside the main entrance of Vern Burton Community Center, 308 E. Fourth St., Port Angeles.

The public is invited to watch the 20-minute outdoors ceremony, which will include the lighting of the LED-lit “ornaments” as well as performances by the Port Angeles Symphony, Ballet Workshop and Ghostlight Productions.

A limited number of tickets, which will provide seats under cover outside, are available for $20 by going to omcf.org.

Following the ceremony, ticket purchasers also will be able to go inside Vern Burton and view the 50 decorated trees that will be auctioned, raffled and sold during the festival over the Thanksgiving weekend.

“We are extremely fortunate to be the recipient of these displays,” said Bruce Skinner, OMC Foundation executive director.

“I think people are going to say ‘wow’ when they are lit, as they will include bigger-than-life ornaments, fountains and a Christmas tree.”

Said festival chair Lindsay Fox, “They will come to life with the performances of three of the Peninsula’s incredible arts organizations.”

The event is presented by the Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe.

The foundation was able to obtain the displays through its participation with the Washington Festivals and Events Foundation, where Microsoft also is involved.

Tickets remain available for all but one of the weekend Festival of Trees events. Teddy Bear Tea tickets have sold out.

Now in its 32nd year, the annual three-day fundraiser for the Olympic Medical Center Foundation features elaborately decorated Christmas trees and wreaths created by area designers.

The Festival of Trees Gala, presented by First Federal, is set for 5 to 8 p.m. Friday, Nov. 25, when most of the trees and wreaths will be auctioned off.

Tickets are $105.

The Teddy Bear Tea, presented by Erika Ralston Word of Windermere, is set for 9:30 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. on Saturday, Nov. 26.

Family Days — presented by The Lodge at Sherwood Village, Sherwood Assisted living and Fifth Avenue Retirement Center — is set for 2 to 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 26, and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 27.

Tickets are $7, with children younger than 12 attending for free.

Attendees will be able to view the trees, purchase raffle tickets and enjoy entertainment.

The Senior Breakfast, presented by Discovery Memory Care, starts at 8:30 a.m. Friday, Nov. 25.

Breakfast is served for all ages and the event includes entertainment and tree viewing.

Tickets are $16 each.

Tickets can be purchased online at omcf.org or by calling 360-417-7144, or at the Olympic Medical Center Foundation office, 1015 Georgiana St., Port Angeles.

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