FESTIVAL FEATURES TREES 



The holiday season along the Cape Fear 

 Coast is filled with events families can enjoy for a 

 day, a weekend, or even a weeklong excursion to 

 the Southeast coast. 



Visitors are certain to get into the spint of the 

 season upon seeing more than 100 lavishly deco- 

 rated trees featured at the 22nd Annual Festival 

 ofTrees, Nov. 27 through Dec. 5 at the Hilton 

 Wilmington Riverside. 



The event is presented by Fnends of the 

 Lower Cape Fear Hospice and Life Care Center. 

 Last year's festival raised more than $1 00,000 to 

 support the local hospice program. 



The trees, wreaths, gingerbread houses and 

 general decor will carry out the "Chnstmason the 

 Cape" theme, says Bidgie Sue of Leland, 2004 

 festival chairperson. 



"The Cape Fear River is the tie that binds us 

 together," she says. 



The work of local artist Robert Clark is the 

 inspiration for murals being prepared as backdrops 

 to the festival's holiday boutique, cafe, children's 

 activity center and entertainment stage. Festival- 

 goers should recognize familiar scenes, including 

 the Wilmington waterfront, histonc homes and 

 Old Baldy lighthouse on Bald Head Island. 



The festival is a community-wide event, 

 drawing support from local civic groups, busi- 

 nesses, artists, schools and residents. Sue estimates 

 that more than 1 ,000 volunteers work nearly year- 

 round to make the weeklong event a success. 



That may be a modest estimate once you 

 multiply each festival tree by the number of people 

 in the sponsonng organization or business. Now 

 add the number of school and civic groups that 

 will provide refreshments and entertainment each 

 day of the festival. Next, figure in the army of 

 Fnends and staff members from the Lower Cape 

 Fear Hospice who volunteer to work countless 

 hours during the event. 



"It's big. It's something the community 

 anticipates. We actually got started last March," 

 Sue explains. "There are about 50 committees with 

 varying numbers of members - and the numbers 

 grow from there." 



This year, construction crews have been 

 working on sets and murals in the New Hanover 

 County Administration Building. The space has 

 glass walls, thus preparations have been very much 

 in the public eye, Sue points out. 



All the prep work culminates before the 



LEFT: Something is fishy about this tree from the 2003 festival. RIGHT: Butterflies make their holiday visit to 

 Wilmington. Trees this year will carry out a 'Christmas on the Cape' theme. 



HOLIDAY NOSTALGIA: OLD WILMINGTON BY CANDLELIGHT 



For holiday nostalgia, port city visitors have enjoyed Old Wilmington by Candlelight 

 for more than three decades. The tour provides a chance to see some of Wilmington's 

 privately owned historic homes decked out in their holiday finest. 



Stroll streets lined with luminaria Saturday, Dec. 4, from 4 to 8 p.m., and Sunday, 

 Dec. 5, from 2 to 6 p.m. Sponsored by the Lower Cape Fear Historical Society, the event 

 will feature two dozen homes and churches, all within walking distance of each other. 



In addition, Salvation Army Headquarters at 223 South Third St. will feature an 

 antique doll exhibit prepared by the Women's Auxiliary. 



Visitors may stop for refreshments at Latimer House, the society's headquarters, 

 at 126 South Third St. 



The tour showcases preservation efforts and is a way to get the public excited about 

 local history. It also is a major fundraiser for the society. Proceeds from the $25 tickets 

 benefit the society's community preservation and education efforts. 



For information call 91 0/762-0492 or go online to www.latimerhouse.org. 



14 HOLIDAY 2004 



