By Troy Gillard

going virtual

Festival of Trees closes to public due to COVID-19 concerns

Nov 10, 2020 | 8:01 AM

Organizers with Festival of Trees in Red Deer say they have made the difficult decision to close this year’s event to the public due to the current rise of COVID-19 cases in the province.

The event scheduled for Nov. 14-28 at Bower Place will now proceed in a virtual format.

“We know that this will come as an enormous disappointment, but we need to lead by example and prioritize the health and safety of our community, guests, sponsors, volunteers, and staff,” the Red Deer Regional Health Foundation says in a release.

“We remain committed to enhancing healthcare in Central Alberta. Although Festival of Trees is closed to the public, we are offering a number of ways for our community to participate virtually while supporting our goal of raising funds for electronic fetal monitoring for Red Deer Regional Hospital Centre and other care centres in Central Alberta.”

The Festival of Trees silent auction will still be accessible online at reddeerfestivaloftrees.ca/auction.

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The Tree Room can be viewed online through Facebook Live each day from November 14 to 28. Follow the foundation on Facebook to be notified when they go live to “show you the beautifully decorated trees and show appreciation to our sponsors.”

The Tree Room can also be viewed from inside Bower Place, but will not be accessible to the public.

Tickets for the Christmas Jingle Cash Lottery are available for purchase online at reddeerfestivaloftrees.ca/jingle. The top prize is $10,000 cash plus an early bird prize of $2,500 to be drawn on December 4. Ticket packages start at $10 and are available until December 18. Final draws are on December 23.

“We thank everyone who had made plans to attend this year’s Festival of Trees and we are grateful to our sponsors for their continued support and understanding. We look forward to a time where we can gather again,” the foundation says.