Colborne Public School’s 16th annual Festival of Trees returns to the Keeler Centre this Friday and Saturday, bringing dozens of decorated Christmas trees, silent auction items and a major community push to keep the school’s music program thriving.
Admission is free, and the two-day fundraiser runs Friday from 5 to 9 p.m. and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Music teacher Chad Morford says the program has relied entirely on fundraising since the beginning.
The money helps cover instruments, upkeep, busing, uniforms and performance fees, ensuring students can participate at virtually no cost. The program has also grown into a competitive force.
Students perform in a drumline competition circuit across Ontario and travel out of province each year. This year, the group hopes to compete in Quebec City.
The Festival includes a mix of raffle trees and silent auction trees donated and decorated by local businesses.
A centrepiece of the event is the Memorial Tree, honouring the memory of 23 loved ones this year.
More information is available at the Colborne PS Festive of Trees on Facebook.
(Written by: Joseph Goden with files from York Bell Smith)
