Bakersfield.com: Kern County news, events, classifieds, shopping, & search

Annual celebration of holiday trees hits dry patch

BY CAMILLE GAVIN, Contributing columnist | Wednesday, Nov 18 2009 04:16 PM

Last Updated Wednesday, Nov 18 2009 04:16 PM

A lag in ticket sales for Saturday's Festival of the Trees comes as a surprise to the event's sponsor, the Woman's Club of Bakersfield.

"Normally we're sold out in February when the tickets first go on sale," said Karen Dixon, club president. "But this year is different, we've still got some available -- I guess it's because of the economy."

An annual affair that's been going on in advance of the holiday season for nearly 30 years, the festival's $50-ticket price includes a luncheon and a fashion show emceed by Jim Scott and Robin Mangarin of KGET-TV, Channel 17.

But the main feature is the chance to take home a decorated Christmas tree piled high with valuable gifts.

This year's edition will go on as scheduled, of course. But unless more tickets are sold in the next two days, the club expects to see a drastic dip in funds available for its other projects.

"This is where we earn the majority of the money to support all the things we do," said Dixon, who at that particular moment was involved, along with other club members, in packing boxes the club sends each month to members of the military. The club also provides money to buy fabrics for the Quilts of Valor project, which provides quilts to servicemen and women.

In addition, approximately $25,000 in scholarships is given annually to high school seniors and college students to help further their education, she said. The club also gives to Link-to-Life, MARE, Golden Empire Gleaners, Salvation Army, Relay-for-Life, Teen Challenge, and a number of other nonprofit organizations.

A portion of the proceeds are used to maintain the two-story brick structure that has been the Woman's Club's headquarters for about 90 years and has been designated a historic landmark.

Festival of the Trees originated in 1980. The idea arose from the club's desire to raise enough money to buy a nearby piece of property for use as a parking lot.

"The first year we had (the festival) at our club house on 18th Street and it was absolutely packed," Dixon said. "So the second year we moved it to the convention center. It became so popular, and normally we sell 1,700 tickets."

This year's event will feature about 60 artificial trees. Seven are more than 7 feet tall; the rest measure about 4 feet.

"They are really beautiful," Dixon said. "Last year there was one that was all covered with peacock feathers. Another one had pirates on half of it and the other half was all pink with little girl things on it."

Attendees have a chance to win a tree by way of what's called an "opportunity drawing."

All but one of the trees is sponsored by a commercial enterprise and each comes with gifts valued at about $200. That one exception, decorated in blue and silver, is the top prize of the day.

"It's the Woman's Club's tree and it's special," Dixon explained. "Ours is worth over $1,500."