Aiken continued its holiday festivities, among them the Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism’s 6th Annual Festival of Trees, drawing a crowd of curious visitors to the Aiken Visitor’s Center and Train Depot to admire all the yuletide tinsel.
Some 17 local organizations and businesses — such as the Aiken Council of Neighborhoods, Horse Creek Academy, the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society and 1 Chance Auto Accessories — submitted their own uniquely decorated trees for display throughout the visitor’s center’s lobby.
“The whole purpose of the Festival of Trees is to get the community together,” said Tourism Coordinator Sheri Clemons, who organized the festival. “People like to contribute to something, and it’s something for them to be creative with, and at the same time they can promote their organizations.”
The American Heritage Girls of Town Creek Baptist Church entered a tree garlanded with American flags and other patriotic trimmings, while the Moms League of Aiken decked its entry with Grinch-themed decorations.
Midland Valley High School culinary students, who had a tree adorned in its school colors, had a table set up where they gave away gingerbread cookies and cider-like wassail.
“We had some ornaments the culinary students made, all about Midland Valley and how we won this year,” said culinary instructor Corey Lenon the school’s tree design reflecting school spirit, particularly since its football team won the Region-4AAAA championship.
The event proves a merry, and effective, way to bring Aikenites together, as residents enjoy seeing the trees as much as each group enjoys making the displays, said train museum coordinator Samuel Ellis.
“It’s a great way to sort of reach out to the community in a festive that doesn’t really feel like advertising,” Ellis said. “It’s a real kind of outreach: ‘Come celebrate with us, this is what we do.”
The museum will showcase the trees until the beginning of next year. Until Dec. 15, locals are encouraged to visit during opening hours, examine each tree, and vote with an old-fashioned paper ballot for their favorites, as many times as they like.
The Aiken Visitors Center is at 406 Park Ave. SE. The tourism department will award $50 to a charity selected by the winning tree’s organization. The winners will be announced on social media on Monday, Dec. 18.
Skyler Q. Andrews is a staff reporter covering business for The Augusta Press. Reach him at skyler@theaugustapress.com.
