Holiday Tree Festival magic is available online this year

11-11-2020 (Akron, Ohio )

2020 may be the 39^th anniversary of the Akron Children’s Holiday Tree Festival, but this particular year’s event will be a virtual first. An online event will showcase the community’s holiday spirit, offering an opportunity to buy amazing trees, wreathes and holiday gifts Nov. 20-21.

In 1982, hospital volunteers created the Holiday Tree Festival to give back to the hospital and the patients it serves. Since its beginning, it has raised more than $6.3 million to benefit medical research, education and patient care programs at Akron Children’s. Because the Holiday Tree Festival draws such large crowds, hosting an online event ensures that the public can still be inspired by, bid and purchase safely from their own homes.

“This is a new adventure for the Holiday Tree Festival and we’re really excited to keep this important Akron tradition going. We also felt like everyone needed the festival this year more than ever,” said Mary Leuca, chairwoman of the 2020 Holiday Tree Festival. “We are going to take what we learn doing the festival online and try to make the festival even better for future years. We know it will be different but we hope it will put people in the holiday spirit.”

There’s still an opportunity to add some of the festival’s holiday cheer to your home décor. This year’s festival features 76 3-foot trees, nine 7-foot trees, 48 wreaths and 40 holiday gifts available for purchase starting Friday, Nov. 20, at 12 a.m. to Saturday, Nov. 21, at 11:59 p.m.

Those who have the winning bids can pick up items at the John S. Knight Center Nov. 22- 23. This will be a contactless pickup with all COVID-19 precautions in place. The larger trees will be delivered. For more information, call 330-543-8424 or go to akronchildrens.org/treefestival.