INNISFAIL – The town’s annual Innisfail Festival of Trees once again wowed hundreds of locals and many others beyond but more importantly scores of families in need will have a joyous holiday season.
About $8,500 was raised from the 4th Annual Innisfail Festival of Trees, a free community event that ran under a ‘Gnome for the Holidays’ theme from Nov. 22 to 30 in the Common Area of the Innisfail Library/Learning Centre (ILLC).
Two key pieces of the festival, however, were held in the ILLC’s Community Room.
During the evening of Nov. 23, the festival hosted its first family dance, and on Nov. 30 the Artisan and Crafter Holiday Market was held from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
“I think for our fourth year it went very well. Every year it grows. The need in the community grows, and we answered the call. We were very lucky,” said festival founder Dale Dunham.
The money from the festival was raised largely from auctioning off 21 fully decorated Christmas trees with bids ending at 4 p.m. on Nov. 30.
“On average, all of our trees sold for around $230 to $240,” said festival treasurer Crystal Kemp.
There were three award-winning trees this year as chosen be festival attendees.
The Innisfail Art Club won for Best Overall Tree. Innisfail council claimed the Most Holiday Spirit prize, while the tree entry from Erin Johnson, of RE/MAX Real Estate Central Alberta, was voted as Most Creative.
This year’s fundraising $8,500 total was slightly down from last year when about $9,000 was raised.
“We had a few more expenses this year because we did the free family dance this year. It definitely was a little bit more expense wise. But all in all, it turned out really great,” said Kemp, adding at least 100 citizens showed up for the festival’s inaugural free dance night.
“It was so nice to see families come together and just really enjoy it, and the turnout was a lot more than what we expected. It's a nice surprise to see that, and we just want to build off it for next year.”
Money from the holiday season fundraiser will go towards supporting the Innisfail Christmas Bureau, Innisfail and District Food Bank, the Innisfail Dairy Queen’s Angel Tree program, and local seniors’ residences.
As well, a portion will go to Bringing Christmas Cheer, a local family sponsorship program since 2020 organized by Innisfailian Kristen Spatz that that will bring Christmas dinners to at least 40 local families this year.
What’s also important, insist festival organizers, is that the event has been seized by the entire community as a vital event to experience the cheer of the holiday season without worrying about finances.
“I think it's really important for the community to have something that they can turn to enjoy and not going to cost a fortune,” said Kemp. “Everything's so expensive these days, so it's nice to have something you can turn to and enjoy, and the kids love it, and the parents love bringing them, and we love doing it as a committee.
“We really love putting it on and seeing all the faces, and it's been great.”
