The tree designs may change every year, but one theme has remained as clear as pine scent since the Festival of Trees began in 2020: Go big or go home for the holidays.
“It’s great to see how dedicated people are to making the best experience for visitors and to raise as much money as possible,” says Sarah McNaughton, co-chair for this year’s event, which — as it has since its inception — raises funds for the Center for Advocacy, Transformation and Support in Southold, the North Fork nonprofit supporting your neighbors in need for decades.
If you’ve never had the pleasure, the gist is this: the Festival is a two-day event held at Treiber Farms, where expertly, often wonderfully over-the-top, decorated Christmas trees and wreaths are auctioned off to raise money for CAST, with the added fun bonus of a holiday market and cookie cottage filled with warm beverages and locally made sweet treats.
Instead of a big-ticket gala with the requisite mini crab cakes, long speeches, and polite clapping, the Festival of Trees is unique each and every year, and kind of like the final scene of “Merry Christmas, Charlie Brown,” full of pure holiday joy — two days full of wonder, creativity, community and, of course, the heartfelt rush of giving.
What goes into creating this winter wonderland? According to McNaughton, it takes a team of 28 committee members, more than 60 volunteers and over 100 local businesses contributing in a multitude of ways to pull off CAST’s biggest fundraiser of the year.
The planning starts about six full months in advance, with weekly meetings that turn to bi-weekly meetings that turn into a daily stream of emails and calls, rife with multi-page constantly updated Google sheets and, of course, a full week or so when the trees are painstakingly decorated, as are the not trio of barns that hold the events.
“I think I’ve been spending more time on this than on my actual job,” laughs McNaughton.
This year, there will be 23 7 ½-foot-tall trees on display sponsored by local businesses, ranging from traditional themes like the 12 Gifts of Christmas, Traditional Nutcracker, and Ginger Wonderland to think-outside-the-red-bow-box entries like Disco Christmas and even a Taylor Swift tree.
The silent auction, too, isn’t your ho-hum cache of gift certificates.
“Over 100 local businesses are donating everything, either as sponsors or giving goods and experiential items for the silent auction – it’s very special; not just a gift card. These are very curated, bespoke experiences,” says McNaughton. One such unique item up for grabs: Get your very own namesake cocktail created by Brix and Rye owner Evan Bucholz, who will meet with you to find out your innermost spirited wish list and craft your very own one-of-a-kind cocktail. It will then be named for you and become part of the popular cocktail den’s drinks menu for an entire year.
Another great hot-ticket bid: American Beech owner Brent Pelton is donating a three-night stay to his Pink Palm Hotel in St. Thomas. And for those who want to stay closer to home, there are fun items like a wreathmaking and pizza party at Rowan Craft Boutique, a special chef dinner with Grace & Grit, or a CSA package with one of your favorite local farms.
“We love stuff that ties back to community,” McNaughton says. “Going into the winter months, CAST really supports our residents of need – with food, housing, provisions and programming. For a lot of local businesses, it’s crunch time at the end of the year, buy they are so generous and they make it happen – it’s really awe inspiring.”
The Festival of Trees occurs on Saturday, Nov. 23 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday, Nov. 24 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Treiber Farms (38320 Route 48, Peconic). Tickets are $10 for adults, and $5 for kids and seniors. Get yours here.
