Contributed by Mike Feazel
Lake Monticello civic groups will collaborate to create a “Lake Holly-Days” during the weekend of Dec. 2 and 3. Events will include a Festival of Trees Dinner Dance Friday, Dec. 2, the Festival of Trees itself Saturday, Dec. 3, and the ever-popular Holiday Home Tour and Art Raffle, also on Dec. 3. The holiday Memory Tree will also be lit during the weekend.
The Festival of Trees events and the Memory Tree are to benefit the Lake Monticello Community Foundation. The Holiday Home Tour and Art Raffle are the Lake Monticello Beautification Corps’ traditional fundraiser.
“While the funds raised at each event will go to the group organizing it, it just seemed to make sense to combine promotion of the events into a joint ‘Lake Holly-Days,’” said Beautification Corps President Helen Schoene. Foundation President Nancy Parsons added that “these events have always been complementary, not competitive. We think that they combine to create a magical weekend to inaugurate the holiday season at the Lake.”
The weekend kicks off with the Festival of Trees Holiday Dinner/Dance on Friday, Dec. 2 from 6-9 p.m. at the Ashlawn Clubhouse. The plated dinner will be accompanied by music of strolling musicians and dance music by Sha-boom. There will also be prize drawings for many giveaways such as festive wreaths, door swags, table centerpieces, a quilt and much more. Attendees will also get a preview of the 25 Christmas trees decorated by local businesses and groups for the Festival itself. Dinner/dance tickets are available at www.lakemonticellocommunityfoundation.org/projects-events.
The free Festival of Trees on Saturday, Dec. 3 from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. at the Clubhouse will include a tour of the festive trees and a chance for pictures with Santa, Mrs. Claus and elves, and Christmas story readings. Attendees can win the opportunity to take home their favorite trees by buying raffle tickets. The trees come with all decorations, often including valuable prizes and gift certificates.
The Holiday Home Tour allows ticket holders to tour five Lake homes fully decorated for the holidays, one of the most popular Lake events for decades. The homes will be open Saturday, Dec. 3, 12:30-5 p.m. At 5:30 p.m. that day participants can gather at the Clubhouse for the Art Raffle of locally-made art. Tickets are available from Yvonne Arcement at yba_cats@hotmail.com or at each of the tour houses.
The holiday Memory Tree, to be up at the Lake’s Pub throughout the holidays, allows residents to buy individual lights in memory of loved ones. The form to reserve Memory Tree lights is at www.lakemonticellocommunityfoundation.org/projects-events.
More details on each of the events will become available as they approach.
Lake Monticello Beautification Corps uses the proceeds to finance its landscaping and other efforts to make the Lake more attractive. Lake Monticello Community Foundation is building the All-Inclusive Playground, gives scholarships and makes donations to groups that benefit the Lake and county.
