Festival of Trees Brings Community Cheer, Boosts Local Giving

The fourth annual Festival of Trees at the Clearwater County History Center kicked off on December 2 and remains underway as the holiday week concludes. Nearly 30 trees decorated by local organizations, businesses, families and individuals fill the museum space, and visitors may cast ballots for their favorite through Friday, December 19. Ballots cost one dollar, or may be obtained with a food shelf donation, and the winning tree will carry bragging rights into next year.

Organizers designed the event to blend festive activities with community support. Visitors are encouraged to bring nonperishable food items for the local food shelf, creating a direct charity channel tied to attendance and voting. The event also created a marketplace for local bakers through a Taste of Christmas sampling that included traditional treats such as lefse, krumkake, pizzelle and kringla. Those offerings provide cultural connection and modest economic opportunity for home bakers and small vendors participating in the festival.

The program includes a Memory Tree display and other themed trees intended to provide meaningful community connections. Activities and special events were scheduled for weekends through December, including Santa appearances and choir performances that draw families and local audiences. The schedule aims to concentrate foot traffic on key days while maintaining an open exhibit through the holiday period.

For Beltrami County residents the festival serves several functions. It offers low cost family entertainment during a peak retail season, channels small scale charitable giving to strengthen local food support networks, and gives visibility to community groups and small producers. Events like this can increase short term spending at nearby businesses and reinforce volunteer engagement that is important for local nonprofit capacity.

As the festival closes its voting on December 19, organizers and participants will gauge community response and donations, information that will shape planning for the fifth annual event. In the meantime the exhibit remains a free or low cost way for County residents to celebrate seasonal traditions while supporting neighbors in need.