A new tradition is set to begin in the Midcoast for families around the holidays to raise funds for three local organizations in the Bath-Brunswick region. The Midcoast Tree Festival is scheduled for Nov. 22-24 and Nov. 29-Dec. 1, and will benefit All Saints Parish (St. John’s School), Spectrum Generations’ Meals on Wheels, and the SMMC.

The Midcoast Tree Festival will showcase fully decorated, themed, and lighted artificial Christmas trees on display throughout the two-weekend event, which will be raffled off to lucky winners at the conclusion of the festival. Local organizations and businesses will contribute the trees and gifts, with many local employees and staff pitching in to determine each theme and plan the decorations.  Each tree will have a value of at least $500 with everything on and under the tree belonging to the raffle winner, unless otherwise noted (which is very rare). Nonprofits are invited to participate as well, by donating wreaths, which will be displayed at the Festival entrance, and raffled as door prizes on the last day of the event.  The wreaths will be purely decorative and have no gift requirement.

The event will be held at the newly opened St. John’s Community Center located at 43 Pleasant Street in Brunswick. The event will begin with a ribbon-cutting on Friday, Nov. 22, at 4 p.m. and special opening night hours of 4 to 8 p.m.  Regular hours for the event will be 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on all other days of the festival except for the closing Sunday, Dec. 1. The festival will be open 10 a.m. but close down the raffle portion of the event at 2 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 1, at which time the tree and wreath winners will be drawn. People are encouraged to attend the ticket drawing. All trees and gifts must be picked up either Sunday, Dec. 1 before 7 p.m. or by 6 p.m. on Monday Dec. 2. The Midcoast Tree Festival is a weekend event and will not be open Monday, Nov. 25 through Thanksgiving Thursday, Nov. 28.

Admission to the Midcoast Tree Festival is $2 for adults and no charge for children 12 and younger. In addition to the holiday display, the family-friendly event will feature daily live entertainment, a children’s activity area, 50/50 raffles, Santa and Mrs. Claus on specific days, and a café. The trees, including all decorations and gifts, will be raffled off at the end of the event. Raffle tickets cost 50¢ each and you do not need to be present to win.

Additional information can be found online at facebook.com/midcoasttreefestival

For more information, please contact Cory King, at the Southern Midcoast Maine Chamber (SMMC) at 725-8797 or by e-mailing executivedirector@midcoastmaine.com