Generous Volunteers and Participants Made 15th Festival of Trees a Success

EAC is very grateful to the many creative, energetic and tireless hands that made our 15th annual holiday fundraiser—the Festival of Trees—a great success. Scroll down to find all of their names, and a collection of images of both the Festival Eve decorating party and the 'main event'!

The coveted 'Tailor of Pembroke,' by Lysa Intrator featured an entirely hand-stitched doll with a two sets of handmade clothing (tweed suit and jammies!), as well as tree trimmings inspired by Beatrix Potter's classic, The Tailor of Gloucester. Photos with this story by BD and Lauren Koss. Find out who was the high bidder for this tree at the end of the story!

Thanks to the Tree Decorators:

• Chris Grannis with ‘All I Want for Christmas is a Bread Tree!'

• Stephanie Thomas with 'Folk Art Jingle'

• Horn Run Brewing with 'Christmas Cheers!'

• Joan Lowden with 'Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree with WSHD'

• Sarah Dalton-Phillips for the Lubec Campobello Community Theatre with 'Hands Across the Sea'

• St. Croix Valley Garden Club (Alison Brennan, Ann Cannizzaro and Tonya Troiani) with ‘Garden by the Sea’

  

  Chris Grannis' creation featured a tower of homemade bread wreaths, suitable for swift gobbling or to freeze and enjoy at a more leisurely pace. Grannis, who served as EAC's Director for many years, enjoyed helping out at the event, assisting emcee Melissa Newcomb and working as a lively part of the after-event cleanup team!

• Susan Ober, Donna Parlin and Gayle Wigley with ‘The Stars are Out Over Eastport’

• Jessica and Rachel Williams with 'Wish You A Merry Chickmas'

• Lysa Intrator with ‘The Tailor of Pembroke’

• Kathy Lewis with 'Snow Drift'

• Helen Swallow with ‘Ho Ho Ho Pickilooooo’

• Georgie Kendall and Michaelynn Cicere with 'Rhubarb is Sexy'

• Amy Ray with ‘Now Is the Time for Joy’

• Jeanne Peacock, Lisa Smith and Cynthia Morse with ‘Have a Very Green Christmas’

• David Oja with ‘Kindness Tree Spark’

• Kelly Grieco with ‘No Place Like Gnome for the Holidays’

• Alison Ross for Eastport Gallery with 'Hope!'

• Amy Dicenzo with 'Gingerbread Lane'

• Claudia de Vries with ‘Do-nut be bad!’

• Andrea Linton with ‘Nuttin but Buttons for Christmas’

• Meg McGarvey with ‘Tide Tree’

• Alberta Hunter with ‘Christmas Carol’

• Catherine Lee with ‘Inked Crewwork Tree’

• Janine LaForge with ‘A Crystal Christmas'

• Nia Aretakis and Ann Cannizzaro with ‘Forest Garden’

• Jenny Gillies, Kate Wilson and Katie, Emma and Ada Melancon with ‘A Magical Unicorn Christmas’

  

  
  

Special thanks to:

Chris Farr, pianist; Jude Kempe, tech support; Melissa Newcomb, emcee; Chris Grannis emcee's assistant

Set-up/ break down crew: Jnana Hodson, Gwen Jones, Bug Davidson, Russ Macrae, Cynthia Morse, Michael Morse, Chris Grannis, Jeanne Peacock, Robin Leavitt.

Raffle sales and drawing: Alison Brennan, Jessica Pelley, Lola Pfanenstiel, Claudia Jones

Pianist Chris Farr filled the EAC with 'just right' holiday music of many flavors, including some of his favorites, 'It Came Upon the Midnight Clear' and 'In the Bleak Midwinter.'

Attendees are all ears for the announcement of the high bidders on the 26 trees.

Cookies and beverages: Cathy Adelman and Stephanie Peters

Food donation: Marged Higginson (who also gets a special shout-out for being the Festival of Trees founder and longtime organizer)

Cookie bakers for decorating party: Tess Ftorek and Jeanne Peacock

Music stand wranglers: Helen Swallow, Ellen and Phil Krajewski and Sarah Dalton-Phillips.

Tree donation: Georgie Kendall, Kendall Farm Cottages and Event Barn

Tree Cutting: Michael and Cynthia Morse

Tree lights donation: Cynthia Morse

Event photographers: Bug Davidson and Lauren Koss

Thanks to these individuals and businesses for their donations to the popular chance auction raffle:

Sherry Ashby

Botanical Blossoms (Kara Carril)

Charity Williams

Eastport Breakwater Gallery (Michael and Cynthia Morse)

Way Downeast Photos (Laurie Churchill)

Shelly Thompson

Jeanne Pegrum

Gracie Rockwood

Brenda MacArthur

Tonya Steinen

Eastport Gallery

Maine Girl Art (Heidi Beal)

Pen and Cob Farm (Katherine Swann)

Lunamuse Fiberart (Manuela Brice)

Ann Cannizzaro

Knots and Blooms (Julie Burgess)

Andrea Linton

Full Fathom Five (Greg Gordon)

Ann Dalton

Nancy Tintle

Raye's Mustard

The Commons

Sweeties Downeast

Event organizers: Cynthia Morse, Cathy Adelman and Lauren Koss

Nia Aretakis trims 'Forest Garden' while volunteer Robin Leavitt looks on. The tree was a collaboration with her mother, Ann Cannizzaro, who also worked with St. Croix Valley Garden Club pals Alison Brennan and Tonya Troiani on 'Garden by the Sea' (below).

Here's Dave Grieco, winner of the 'Rhubarb is Sexy' tree heading out wearing his rhubarb-theme swag. Tree decorator Claudia deVries, maker of 'Do-nut Be Bad!' is looking on. Below is Carrie Cobb, excited winner of 'The Tailor of Pembroke.'

Again, THANK YOU to all who helped!! (Written in the glow of 'Forest Garden,' won by this grateful editor).