In its 18-year history, the Festival of Trees has proven to be a beloved tradition.
This year is no exception, with Prince George residents opening their wallets and hearts to the
Spirit of the North Healthcare Foundation.
The annual fundraiser kicked off Friday night with a gala auction, which brought in about $150,000 for healthcare in the region, according to Spirit of the North
executive director Don Gowan.
Gowan said the response to this year's festival was so good the gala was actually oversold, with more than 400 attendees - double the amount two years ago.
"We were thinking about 320 [people] would be a great amount," Gowan said.
Despite the higher attendance, the amount raised was actually a little lower than in previous years, with no big-ticket sales like last year's $33,000 tree.
"That was a little surprising," Gowan said. "There were no big bidding wars."
This year, the most lucrative tree and prize package was donated by Tropical Pool and Spa and sold for $12,500.
"It's amazing ... that people will pay that amount just to go to a good cause," said Gowan.
One new element to this year's gala auction was the sale of a bare, unadorned tree. The winner will have a team - which includes new Mayor-elect Shari Green - come to their home to decorate the tree to their specifications. That prize was auctioned off for $4,000.
"We find out if they have any particular colour schemes, but it's about coming out and having a fun time," Gowan said.
More than 500 volunteers put thousands of hours into making the 10-day event successful. Residents are invited to peruse the trees in the Civic Centre, browse the gift shop and get creative in the Children's Workshop.
"About 5,000 children will go through there," Gowan explained.
"There's about 850 volunteer hours for just that one little corner of the festival."
The Festival of Trees will be open Wednesday night during the city's annual Civic Light Up at the Civic Centre at 6 p.m.
