We’re One Wilmington isn’t going to let COVID stop us from putting on our favorite event of the year! Although not in person, you can bet the 10th Anniversary of one of Wilmington’s most beloved holiday traditions will be just as creative and spectacular as ever!
WOW will be bringing the virtual Festival to your homes December 1-4, 2020 and we couldn’t be more excited! Through the use of cutting edge online raffle technology you can view and buy chances to win one of our many trees, wreaths, and baskets! In case you haven’t attended in the past, our raffle is known around the area not only for the beauty and creativity of the donations, but the spectacular prizes! The online raffle will be open all day and night for not our typical two, but four full days!
Our plan is to broadcast live from the hall each of the four nights so we can make it as personal as possible for our loyal patrons. Our broadcast will feature a look back at the past 10 years of the Festival, tours of the hall, musical performances, a scavenger hunt, a special visit by Mrs. Claus and more! You can bet we will be offering plenty of chances to win extra raffle tickets, too! We are hoping this virtual format will bring the Festival to even more people who may not have been able to attend in the past due to time or location.
Seeking Donations
We can’t pull this off without the generosity of our donors! Wilmington has never let us down and we are sure this year will be no different. When so many holiday traditions are being canceled, donating can be a real highlight of the holiday season. It takes about 100 donations to fill our hall. Can you help us out? No donation is too small. Consider putting something together with your family, neighbors, a group of friends, sports team or from your business or organization. The possibilities are limitless, get creative! All donations are tax-deductible and funds raised will be used, in part, to fund our holiday gift program for community members who are struggling.
Ribbons will be awarded for donations in the following categories: Best Use of Theme, Best Mini/Tabletop Tree, Best Wreath, Most Creative/Unique Tree, Best Alternative Tree, Fan Favorite, and Best in Show.
Donations must be registered in advance by Wednesday, November 25, 2020. Register online at www.onewilmington.org/events/festival-of-trees or by emailing Becky McGrath at mcgrathbecky@gmail.com.
Set up will take place at the Knights of Columbus in Wilmington on November 29-30. Due to COVID indoor gathering restrictions, all donors will be required to sign-up for a setup time slot and will be limited to 45 minutes and 2-3 persons per group. Donations that do not require set-up can be dropped off anytime without a signup. For the health and safety of volunteers and donors, any person in the hall will be required to wear a face mask at all times.
Any questions about this event can be directed to Becky McGrath at mcgrathbecky@gmail.com.