WAUSAU, WI (WSAU) — An annual Thanksgiving week tradition returns on Wednesday.
The 23rd Aspirus Festival of Trees is back this week and opens on Wednesday to the general public. Each year the festival has an entire forest of decorated trees along with wreaths, mantels, and specialty items. Attendees can also participate in a silent auction or enter a raffle.
Kalynn Pempek the Executive Director of the Aspirus Health Foundation says at the festival there is a tree decorated for everyone’s taste. “We’ve got everything from Grinch to gnomes to plaid and cardinals. We have a yeti tree. There’s actually a colored pencil tree. There are all sorts of things for people of every decor.”
All money raised at the Festival of Trees from admission, the raffle, and the silent auction will go towards Aspirus programs that focus on end of life care. Pempek says it will also support two community bedrooms at Aspirus’ Hospice House for those that need financial assistance.
Once again the goal for the 23rd Festival of Trees is to raise $200,000 for Aspirus Comfort Care and Hospice Services. Last year the event raised $221,000 and Pempek thinks this year the community could support the goal and bring in even more.
This year’s Festival of Trees also marks the 40th anniversary of Aspirus’ Comfort Care and Hospice Services. For the anniversary the Aspirus hospice team decorated a ruby themed tree to represent the 40 years. Pempek says Aspirus is very fortunate and grateful that the community has partnered with them to provide end of life care.
The Festival of Trees opens on Wednesday at the Stoney Creek Hotel and Conference Center in Rothschild. There will be a senior stroll Wednesday from 9 a.m. to noon before the festival will be open to the general public at noon. Admission is $5 for adults and $3 for kids.
The hours for the Festival of Trees the rest of the week is as follows:
Thursday, November 28: 1-5 pmFriday, November 29: 9 am-5 pmSaturday, November 30: Noon-5 pmSunday, December 1: Noon-2 pm
