Festival of Trees signals start to holiday shopping season

By Kelly Terpstra, kterpstra@charlescitypress.com

Opening days and kickoffs are normally associated with sporting events like baseball and football.

That is, until the holiday season rolls around.

The Festival of Trees, which coincides with Black Friday, is one signal that the Christmas shopping season has started in Charles City.

“It’s certainly the kickoff,” said Christopher Anthony, manager at Otto’s Oasis, which has hosted the Festival of Trees since 2008 in cooperation with the Charles City Area Chamber of Commerce.

A steady stream of shoppers went through the doors at the floral shop in Charles City on Friday afternoon, where 14 decorated Christmas trees lined Otto’s Oasis greenhouse.

Those trees comprise the Festival of Trees, which runs now until Saturday, Dec. 29.

Non-profit organizations, 14 of them all told, participated in this year’s Festival of Trees – which allows holiday revelers the opportunity to pick their favorite trees by placing a monetary donation in the buckets underneath the trees.

“We’ve had lots of customers in today buying stuff,” said Anthony. “The first hour or so was slow, but it’s been busy. We’ve been steady ever since.”

This year there’s a scavenger hunt that adds a twist to the festival.

“This year we are going to hide an ornament in a tree and each week pull a person’s name out. If they find the ornament, they fill out which tree it was in that it was found. At the end of the week we’re going to draw a name for a little prize each week. That’s something different this year,” said Anthony.

Holiday shoppers can take a look at the decorated trees during Otto’s Oasis’ regular business hours, including Sunday’s holiday hours from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

“I encourage people to come and take a look at the trees and see what each organization has thought up to create for this season — donate accordingly to your favorite organization. Help them out,” said Anthony.

The tree that garners the most in-monetary donations will win the “Outstanding Tree Award” and an additional $50 for their organization.

Those groups or organizations that are participating in the 2018 Festival of Trees are Trinity United Methodist Church Youth, TLC: The Learning Center, Fossil Prairie Center, PAWS, Humane Society, Comprehensive Systems, and Central Preschool. Other groups involved are the Charles City Arts Center, St. John Christian Preschool, American Legion Auxiliary, CCPL Friends of the Library, Hope for Life Pregnancy Center, Floyd County Child Abuse Prevention Council, Immaculate Conception School/Preschool, and Lost Llamas 4H Club.