Spruce Up Your Act With the 2021 Festival of Trees

Photo by Oleg Magni from Pexels

FRIDAY, NOV. 26 - 28

The Bayfront Convention Center will become Tinsel Town once again as the Festival of Trees returns indoors for 2021. 

With the boughs of over 80 uniquely decorated trees decking its halls, it's about to get lit fir real fir real. Better yet, you won't be left sweeping up the needles afterwards — unless you end up taking one home with you. Select specimens from the Gallery of Trees will be up for auction, ornaments and all, so bid for your favorites — but make sure you conifer'd it. Proceeds will benefit AHN Saint Vincent Hospital and the Children's Miracle Network at AHN Saint Vincent. 

Think you can make it all the way through the Gallery of Trees without being helplessly mesmerized by all that holiday magic? Think again, because it's going to be omnipresent(s). Elsewhere in the Convention Center, attendees will be gifted with opportunities to enjoy live entertainment, peruse wares (and raffle baskets) from local vendors, tour rooms from Santa's Castle (sorry, not for rent), and pet live reindeer from Apthorp Farms from noon to 5 p.m. each day. 

But there's no magic quite like the marvels of modern medical science. If you've got a teddy bear at home that's seemed relatively listless or lifeless as of late, bring them along for a (probably long overdue) health screening courtesy of Saint Vincent's outpatient Teddy Bear Clinic. Their miracle procedure can bring the sparkle back to virtually any teddy bear's beaded or button eyes, so don't despair. If you'd like to adopt, the Saint Vincent team will discharge convalescent orphan bears to loving families for a nominal adoption fee.

It all starts on Black Friday morning and continues until Sunday evening. So, please, take advantage of those doorbuster deals while you can — just remember the true bargains are the memories that last a lifetime. 

Friday and Saturday 9 a.m. to 8 p.m., Sunday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. // Bayfront Convention Center, 1 Sassafras Pier // $10 adults, $6 children (ages 2-12) // supportahn.org/festival