From November 11 to November 15, 2023, the 26th annual Festival of Trees Danville transformed the David S Palmer Arena in Danville, Illinois, into a magical holiday wonderland. Festival of Trees is a beloved tradition that serves as Vermilion County’s festive kickoff to the holiday season. This cherished event, supported by an array of sponsors, volunteers, and the local community, brought together thousands of guests to celebrate the spirit of the season while giving back to the community.
The Festival of Trees Danville is not just a visual feast of over 120 decorated Christmas trees and wreaths; it is a heartfelt initiative with a mission to make a positive impact in the community. The festival channels combined net proceeds back into the local community through impact grants awarded to groups and organizations benefiting children, with a portion also donated to OSF Sacred Heart Medical Center.
This year’s festival showcased a holiday extravaganza, featuring live entertainment, a Children’s Craft area, a Gingerbread bakery, special events, the Elfin Evergreen Forrest/Gingerbread Village, photos with Santa, a holiday gift shop, and much more. The festive atmosphere was further enhanced by the support of several sponsors, including Title Sponsor Julius W. Hegeler II Foundation and Diamond Sponsors Iroquois Federal and OSF HealthCare.
Neuhoff Media played a vital role in the festival’s success, exemplifying its commitment to community partnerships. Scott Mathis, an account executive at Neuhoff Media Danville, served as the Designer Co-Chair and showcase designer, earning the prestigious Festival Cup for the most outstanding tree or wreath design for the second consecutive year. Neuhoff Media Danville’s Senior Account Executive Cassie Keister took on the roles of Marketing/Media Chair and Elfin Evergreen Forrest/Gingerbread Village Co-Chair, also contributing a 7-inch tree and wreath design. Mike Hulvey, CEO of Neuhoff Media, shared emcee duties at the gala tree lighting ceremony, while Tom Barnes, a WDNL personality, joined in as a storyteller during the Festival’s Storytime, captivating the audience with delightful holiday tales.
Event Co-Organizer Jim Anderson expressed gratitude for Neuhoff Media’s ongoing support, stating, “Neuhoff Media has been a strong advocate and huge community resource for both the Festival of Trees Danville and Balloons Over Vermilion from the very beginning. Events such as ours couldn’t happen without such strong partnerships. As we begin our next quarter century, we are truly grateful for the ongoing partnership of Neuhoff Media.”
Since 1997, Festival of Trees has been the area’s highlighted fall event, providing entertainment, family fun and creative designs for all to enjoy. In 2020 an agreement was reached between OSF Healthcare Sacred Heart Medical Center and Balloons Over Vermilion, NFP, in which the operations of Festival of Trees would be transferred to Balloons Over Vermilion beginning with the event held in 2021.
For more information about this year’s Festival of Trees, please contact:
Jim Anderson, Event Co-Organizer: jimlinda112996@yahoo.com
or
Cassie Keister, Marketing/Media Chair: keister5@comcast.net
