Festival of Trees dazzles in eighth year

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By Katrina Margolis
Hometown Weekly Reporter

There is nothing quite so beautiful as a Christmas tree. However, what about 69 Christmas trees? The Massachusetts Horticultural Society presented its eight annual Festival of Trees at Elm Bank, once again dazzling the community with an array of stunning trees, in addition to the incredibly display of trains and Holiday villages collected by Needham local, Bill Maegher.

“The trees are donated or sponsored. We have garden clubs, individuals or companies who either do a tree or donate the funds for us to do a tree, but mostly people do the trees,” Kathy Macdonald, President of the Horticultural Society, said. “What happens is that they’re raffled off and so people get the tree with the decorations and everything underneath.” In addition to this raffle is an entire other tree that requires its own ticket. “We have what we call a Giving Tree. Half of it is children’s gift certificates and the other half is all certificates to local restaurants, so you could eat for months!” she said.

The turnout this year was fantastic, perhaps partly due to an appearance on Chronicle, but mostly just by word of mouth. The extra display, which is in its second year, definitely doesn’t hurt. “Three years ago, Bill Maegher donated this 20-year collection of trains and villages to us. The first year we had it, we weren’t using this building - we were using our little cottage up front, and we could install maybe less than one quarter of the collection,” Kathy explained. “The collection is so huge that we have another wing. Last year, we installed it in there, and it stays up all year because it’s too much to take down. Last year was the first year of having that open, and that’s why we made this big walking circle - to get people through and out again. But it’s really added to the festival.”

In addition to the trees and the holiday village, there is a team of horses that gives wagon rides around the park. For part of the day, Santa makes his rounds, greeting children and adults alike. “We also do a little cut-out board in front, and people have been having fun with that,” Kathy added. “It’s kind of a low-key family event, and people seem to really be having fun with it.”

The most impressive part? “It’s done by volunteers. They manage it, they run it; the staff also helps, but we have a volunteer group that really runs this festival.”

The Horticultural Society has just finished its 20th year in residence at Elm Bank. “We’re trying to think about the next 20 years, and hopefully restoring the wonderful manor house that’s down the lane,” Kathy said.