'Festival of Trees' returns

Glittery ornaments sparkle off a backdrop of green at the Bigfork Museum of Art and History “Festival of Trees” fundraiser that opened Saturday during the Holiday Art Walk in downtown Bigfork.

BMAH president Christine Vandeberg said the museum board suggested it last year as sort of a last minute fundraiser and it went so well the board wanted to do it again this year.

“Since no one in the Flathead was doing a ‘Festival of Trees’ anymore we thought that maybe we should pick it up.” Vandeberg said. “At a time of year when we’re entering the slow season it’s nice to have a fundraiser.”

BMAH put on a “Festival of Trees” fundraiser in the early 1980s. Flathead Valley Community College took the fundraiser over and ran it for years before dropping it.

Last year’s festival resurrection at the museum netted over $6,000. Vandeberg said the museum sold everything in the show last year and even more was donated for this year’s show. Wreaths, hand-made ornaments, garlands, centerpieces, art and 10 trees, each with its own theme, were donated this year.

The stand out difference between this show and last year’s show is rather than just doing a champagne gala event and auction, the museum put the trees up two weeks early.

“We’re hoping that having it available for 10 days for everyone to see,” Vandeberg said. “People will want to buy more.”

A garden themed tree has seed packets, vegetable ornaments and burlap bows. Donna Lawson and Gretchen Gates donated a rotating tree donned with Beanie Babies and the ACES after school program put up a tree filled with candy ornaments, both artificial and real.

Museum director Marnie Forbis said the spirit of receiving and giving back to the community is part of the “Festival of Trees.” Auction proceeds from the ACES tree will be donated back to the after school program.

Profits from a “Tatas Tree” that sold for over $1,000 in last year’s auction went to help someone with their breast cancer treatment. The auction winner of a “Butterfly Tree” chose to donate it to the children’s ward at Kalispell Regional Medical Center last year.

The museum will have another food bank tree this year, which made $150 for the food bank last year. People can purchase $5, $10, or $20 ornaments to go on the tree, and the money will be donated to the food bank.

Forbis said she is hoping the museum can do as well, if not better than last year’s fundraiser.

“If we can do that we would be about $2,000 in the black instead of in the red,” Forbis said.

BMAH is open Tuesdays through Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. The “Festival of Trees” culminates with the Champagne Gala and Auction on Thurs., Nov. 29 at 6 p.m. There will be a fixed-price, silent and live auctions. Showthyme will provide hors d’oeuvres. Tickets are $25 for museum members and $35 for non-members. For more information or to purchase tickets call 837-6927.