Festival of Trees opens Friday

By: 
STAFF REPORT

Volunteers are decking the out the Diamond Banquet Hall for the annual Coal City Promfest Festival of Trees.
The festival, the sole fundraiser to support the annual post-prom celebration, opens Friday, Dec. 6 and continues through Sunday evening, Dec. 8.
Christmas trees, both big and small, are the focus of the event hosted by the Promfest Committee, a group comprised of parents of Coal City High School junior class students. All of the trees, as well as holiday decorations and gift items are up for raffle.
There is something that will catch the eye of everyone attending the festival.
Among the dozens of items on display there are trees decorated with themes ranging from farmhouse to “Frozen.”
Committee members came up with the various themes for the trees. There will also be indoor and outdoor holiday decor and gift items that include a Yeti cooler, Xbox gaming system, Stihl hedge trimmer, wheelbarrow and a decorative metal sleigh.
Additionally, there are a few special trees; one features a Southwest Airlines gift card and one has concert tickets to see the country music duo Dan & Shay performing in spring 2020.
All the trees, wreaths, decorations and specialty items were provided through donations from area businesses, organizations and individuals.
Promfest is also raffling a 2019 Genuine Buddy 50 Scooter that was provided by an anonymous donor. Tickets for the scooter are $20 each.
The festival opens Friday at 4 p.m. and will continue to 9 p.m., The doors to the banquet hall re-open Saturday, Dec. 7 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday, Dec. 8 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
The raffle drawing will begin at 5 p.m. Winners need not be present to win, but are asked to collect their winning items that evening. Raffle tickets are $1 each or six for $5, 12 for $10 and 25 for $20.
In addition to the items up for raffle, the festival will include refreshments courtesy of Chicago Aerosol and entertainment including a visit from Santa Claus from 4:30 to 7 p.m. on Friday and between 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Sunday.
Admission is free. All funds generated from the festival come from the sale of raffle tickets and all proceeds support promfest.
The post prom, a safe, substance-free celebration, takes place immediately following the spring formal in May.

Festival of Trees entertainment
Friday, Dec. 6
4:30-7 p.m.—Santa and Christmas character appearances
4:30 p.m.—Mrs. Vigna and Mrs. Stewart’s first grade classes
5 p.m.—Mrs. Rhodes and Mrs. Phillips and Mrs. Frazier and Mrs. Egan first grade classes
5:30 p.m.—Mrs. Davidson, Early Childhood Center principal, storytime
6 p.m.—Forte Academy of Dance
7 p.m.—Hand Bell choir
7:30 p.m.—Keigher Academy of Irish Dance

Saturday, Dec. 7
10:30 a.m.—Mrs. Foley’s second grade class
11 a.m.—Mrs. Kenney, elementary school principal, storytime.
11:30 a.m.—King Awesome’s Balloonimals
Noon—Elsa from Frozen
12:30 p.m.—Mueller School of Dance
1 p.m.—Christmas character appearances
3 p.m.—TNT Dance Studio
4 p.m. and 5 p.m.—Christmas character appearances

Sunday, Dec. 8
11 a.m.-1 p.m.—Santa and Christmas character appearances
11 a.m.—Coal City High School Footnotes
Noon—Story time with Ms. Rene from the Coal City Public Library
12:30 p.m.—Coal City High School poms
1 p.m.—Coal City High School Madrigals
2 p.m.—Major School of Dance
3 p.m.—Christmas character appearance
4 p.m.—On Broadway Dancers