Volunteers Make Danville’s Festival of Trees Magical

 THE FOLLOWING IS A NEWS-GAZETTE STORY BY JENNIFER BAILEY

ABOVE: Festival of Trees volunteer Chairwoman Mary McMillan prepares for the 2024 event that has the theme ‘North Pole Magic.’

DANVILLE — Festival of Trees volunteer Chair  Mary McMillan has been volunteering about 20 of the festival’s 27 years to help turn the David S. Palmer Arena into a holiday wonderland this time each year.

It’s been so long that McMillan remembers the mailings and keeping track of the volunteers on paper with their time slots and assignments. Now it’s done electronically.

This is an even busier time for the South View Upper Elementary School language arts and social studies teacher, who also is a new teacher mentor and literary coach for her building.

But McMillan loves being a part of the annual festival.

She said when her family first moved to Danville in 2002, that November, they went to the festival. At that time, her children attended Liberty Elementary School.

Melissa Ronto was in charge of volunteers that year, McMillan said, and Ronto had asked if McMillan was interested in helping in the children’s craft area the next year.

McMillan helped with a golf outing fundraiser for the festival and really enjoyed it, and then started helping in other volunteer positions.

She’s loved her time with the festival.

McMillan estimates about 500 to 1,000 volunteers make the festival happen annually. This is between all the volunteers on the various committees, those who help with set up and take down and through the event, such as selling tickets for the children’s craft area, greeting people at the door and handing out programs and tree shepherds who are walking around and answering any questions from the public.

“My favorite thing is seeing the children’s smiles when they see all of the Christmas trees and lights,” McMillan said.

For those who have never been to the festival, McMillan said “it’s a must see.”

“You won’t believe the area transformed into a Christmas wonderland,” she said. You can see children sitting on Santa’s lap, teenagers decorating cookies and crafts being made in the children’s craft area, and families having a joyous time, including at all the special events.

Hours for the festival are 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday, noon to 7 p.m. Sunday, 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday and Tuesday, and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Wednesday.

General admission tickets are $5 for adults, $2 for children ages 3 through 12, and free for children ages 2 and under. Children’s admission is free with a paying adult on Sunday. Veterans enter free Monday. Senior citizens (age 60 and older) enter free Tuesday.

The arena has a clear bag policy. Leave any items in your vehicle that do not fit into a 12-inch-by-12-inch clear tote, clear drawstring bag, or gallon ziplock bag. Small clutches are allowed.

Organizers say the festival features approximately 130 beautifully decorated trees and wreaths. There also are photos with Santa and Mrs. Claus, gingerbread cookies and more.