By Jessie Burchette
jburchette@salisburypost.com
Looking for ideas on decorating your Christmas tree?
Maybe you’d like to escape an afternoon of football on TV and get a major infusion of the Christmas season.
Whatever the reason, the Festival of Trees at the F&M Trolley Barn offers inspirations, innovations and a world of trees that could warm the Grinch.
The Festival of Trees, featuring 55 trees, concludes today. It will be open from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.
It’s the major fundraiser for The Arc of Rowan, which provides assistance for agencies, families and individuals dealing with developmental disabilities and mental retardation.
Several local companies are corporate sponsors. Donations are also accepted at the festival. A limited number of wreaths created by Charlotte Gardner and Pat Wayne are for sale.
Visitors have the opportunity to vote for their favorite tree.
Whether you like traditional decoration, or you’re into fishing, cats, dogs, or ACC sports, there’s a tree sure to please.
Hundreds checked out the trees Friday night and Saturday.
Beth Dixon, chairman of the festival committee, said some people are coming twice ó during the day and then again at night.
The barn, which is a wonderland in daytime, becomes spectacular at night.
Six-year-old Zara Huffman quickly picked a tree decorated in red, white and blue. The tree, called “Diversity and Inclusion,” is sponsored by Food Lion.
“It’s very neat,” she said.
Zara, her mother, Kimber Huffman, and 4-year-old sister, Sage, walked through the festive forest Saturday afternoon, and then went back through to take another look.
Sage’s favorite was the “Snowman tree,” a tree wearing a red high-hat, covered in large patches of cotton, with a face created with strategically placed glass ornaments.
Steve Hicks and his wife Betty, picked the “Lightkeeper’s tree” as their favorite. The tree is decorated in sea shells, fish netting and similar items.
“It’s very innovative … all coastal materials,” Steve Hick said, “I like the coast.”
There are trees decorated with pencils, small stuffed cats and large teddy bears.
A tree sponsored by Cloninger Ford is adorned with red and white teddy bears. It’s called “Cuddle Me Red.”
One tree is sure to catch the attention of the rock ‘n’ roll generation. Called “Jingle Bell Rock,” it’s decorated with 45-rpm vinyl records and replicas of ice cream sundaes.
Dozens of volunteers decorated the trees.
Once the festival ends, the trees will be moved to businesses, public agencies, and other locations where they will displayed through the Christmas season.
The festival, held initially at the Salisbury Civic Center, moved to the Trolley Barn three years ago where there is more room.
Dixon said the committee decided several months ago to do 55 trees as a way of marking the 5th anniversary.
Individuals and businesses throughout the county are sponsoring the trees.
Dixon’s husband, Glenn, who recently retired from Food Lion, came up with the idea for the festival and is honorary chairman.
Beth Dixon, a Rowan County District Court judge, also expressed her appreciation to the sponsors and the volunteers who are involved in the project year-round.
Major sponsors include Food Lion, F&M Bank, SaraLee and Cloninger Ford-Toyota-Scion.
The Trolley Barn is located at 127 E. Liberty St. Use the entrance at the back.