The Festival of Trees is approaching quickly, and the Moose Jaw Health Foundation is excited about the new features the annual fundraiser has to debut this year.
The annual Christmas-themed event will take place on Nov. 16, with an evening full of food and entertainment to enjoy. Guests can expect to be treated to the familiar glamour of the fundraiser, featuring an incredible number of Christmas tree displays from local businesses.
The next morning on Nov. 17, the Family Brunch will again return, hosted by the Dr. F.H. Wigmore Regional Hospital Auxiliary. The morning will feature another chance to see the holiday displays and take part in some family entertainment.
“For a lot of people, they kind of kick off the season of giving at the Festival of Trees Family Brunch,” said Kelly McElree, executive director at the MJHF.
This year’s Festival theme is “Kaleidoscope,” and a handful of changes will be debuting, beginning with the meal.
Dale MacKay — Top Chef Canada winner and culinary visionary behind four Saskatchewan restaurants — will be creating a delicious plated meal to be served to guests, a first for the Festival.
The Festival of Trees is also headed to a new venue, announced earlier this year. Both the evening and the morning brunch will take place in the Moose Jaw Ford Curling Centre at Mosaic Place.
Ticket sales will also be a bit different this year, with the introduction of a new online option to purchase tickets for both the Festival of Trees and the Family Brunch the following morning.
The annual live auction will be joined by a silent auction, facilitated through online bidding on a custom app for guests.
The Festival of Trees committee hopes these new changes will only enhance the experience of the fundraiser, which still offers all of the well-loved features that attendees wait for each year.
“The Festival of Trees volunteer committee, led by Jackie d'Entremont, wants the Festival to meet the needs and lifestyles of today's Festival guests,” said McElree. “The volunteer team is working overtime to ensure that every detail of the event is taken care of and people have an absolutely wonderful time.”
The MJHF looks forward to the fundraiser each year and all proceeds from this year’s event will go towards their Mammography Matters campaign, which will purchase new mammography equipment for the Dr. F.H.Wigmore Hospital.
Over the years, the Festival of Trees alone has raised about $4 million for the MJHF, with the generous support of the community of Moose Jaw.
“What makes Festival of Trees so special in this community are all the volunteers that are involved and all the support we receive from businesses big and small, throughout Moose Jaw and surrounding communities,” said McElree.
Tickets for the Festival of Trees have been lowered to $150, and are available by calling 1 (306) 694-0373, or for purchase online. Brunch tickets, which are $28 for adults and $12 for children, can be purchased from the Mosaic Place box office, either in person or online.
“For both returning guests and new guests, they're going to be amazed by what the volunteer team has done this year,” said McElree.
