|
|
The Festival
of Trees began in 1994 as a fund raising event for restoration
of the historic Tenney Gatehouse. It has grown into a magical
event held annually by the Methuen Festival of Trees to celebrate
the spirit of the holiday season. The Festival is dedicated
to the richness and history of our community by developing partnerships
with the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, the City of Methuen,
the Methuen Historic District Commission, the Methuen Historical
Society, and the people and organizations of Methuen. The proceeds
from the Festival of Trees provide funding to preserve our heritage
and the monuments that make Methuen so unique. Visitors are
invited to attend the Festival and view the 200+ trees donated
by individuals, businesses, organizations, and school groups
from Methuen and several additional Merrimack Valley communities.
The concept,
proposed by Sharon M. Pollard, included the donation of decorated
trees to be raffled and won by Festival attendants. The first
year, 17 trees were donated and displayed at Nevins Library
(Methuen's public library) – the event lasted for two days
only. In our second year, 42 trees were decorated and again
displayed at the Library, but we knew we were quickly outgrowing
our display space. The Festival Committee grew to accommodate
the growing interest in the Festival and the increasing number
of tree donors.
In 1996,
the Red Tavern Function Facility opened their historic doors
to the Festival and provided a magical venue for the viewing
of beautiful trees. We remained open for the entire week, and
many people came to marvel at the magnificent displays. We also
initiated special events that year, including Senior's Day and
Children's Day.
The Festival
continued to grow, and in 1999 the members of the Masonic Lodge,
adjacent to the Tavern, invited the Festival to expand into
their historic building. In 2001, it was decided that the Tenney
Gatehouse, also located on Pleasant Street, would be the site
of a miniature tree display. In 2003, the Festival site was
changed to its
current location.
Money
raised from the Festival of Trees is used to fund local historic
preservation projects. The total money spent is over $600,000.
The restoration of the Tenney Gatehouse, restorative work in
the Old Village Burial Ground on Lawrence Street, and repair
of many of the miles of historic stone walls throughout the
city are examples of some projects that are either completed
or in process. In 2007, a large section of the wall surrounding
Caritas Holy Family Hospital was repaired.
A community
outreach program began in 2006. The first community to win a
matching grant of up to $10,000 was North Andover. The Festival
will be assisting in the repair of the entrance to the North
Andover Library. The 2008 recipient is Salem, NH. It is expected
that the matching grant will help in the restoration of the
old Salem Train Depot.
|
