PORT ANGELES — The holidays will light up this weekend with the Festival of Trees.
Teddy Bear Teas, a tree auction and gala, a family breakfast and viewing of a forest of gaily decorated trees are planned at the Vern Burton Community Center at 308 E. Fourth St.
The three-day event raises funds for the Olympic Medical Center Foundation and the Port Angeles Exchange Club.
Fifty-eight trees
Fifty-eight trees have been decorated for the tree auction this year, said Bruce Skinner, executive director of the foundation.
“They are fantastic. Everything is very high quality,” Skinner said of the trees that have been entered in the 2015 tree auction.
The trees, many of which include themed gift packages, are a testament to the talent of local tree designers, he said.
There are still at least a few tickets for each event, Skinner said Wednesday.
To buy tickets, call the Olympic Medical Center Foundation Office at 360-417-7144 or go to the office at 1015 Georgianna St.
Three days
The celebration will begin Friday with the Teddy Bear Teas, set in the forest of decorated trees and wreaths.
Two sessions for children and their parents are planned — at 10 a.m. and noon Friday.
Tickets are $10 per person.
Tree auction and gala
At 5:30 p.m. Friday night, the lights will come on for the Festival of Trees Gala, with a buffet dinner, tree auction, silent auction and dancing with music.
Entry to the gala and auction is $100 per person.
Family Days
At 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, festival doors will be open for the public to visit the trees, with musical entertainment and children’s activity areas, during Family Days.
Entry is $5 for adults, children age 8 and younger are free.
The Port Angeles Exchange Club receives the proceeds from Family Days.
The Family Days Breakfast will be served in the Festival forest, beginning at 8:30 a.m. Saturday.
It will include a sit-down breakfast with limited ticket availability at the door.
Entry to the breakfast will be $10 for adults and $6 for children.
At the end of the festival on Sunday, the trees will be shipped to those who purchase them at the Festival of Trees auction.
The 2014 Festival of Trees gala dinner and auction raised $121,600 for the foundation and club.
More than 500 attended the 2014 gala, including guests and volunteers — the largest attendance in the Festival of Trees history.
The OMC Foundation will use the money raised at the gala to pay for medical equipment and advanced training for health care providers.
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Reporter Arwyn Rice can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 5070, or at arice@peninsuladailynews.com.
