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I want to start with some basic info and event background here in the introduction for those that may be new to the region, or are unsure of the event and the PDF below we have the details on:
- Tree Space Availability and Requirements
- Mega Tree
- New for 2024 (Auction, Hours and More)
- MTF Sponsorships
- How you can help (Volunteering, spread the word)
You can also head to https://www.midcoastmaine.com/midcoast-tree-festival to get the details (for those who go to our homepage it’s under the “Our Communities” button up top).
2024 Midcoast Tree Festival Details
This is our 6th Annual Midcoast Tree Festival (MTF), and we’re excited to see it continue to grow and become a staple of the holiday season for many. The event is a two-weekend fundraiser with proceeds split evenly between Spectrum Generations, All Saints Parish and the Bath-Brunswick Regional Chamber (BBRC). For the BBRC it’s our largest fundraiser of the year. The event is held the Friday, Saturday and Sunday before and after Thanksgiving. This year the dates are Nov. 22-24 and Nov. 29-Dec. 1.
Why We Do This and Who We Are
All Saints Parish expresses faith through serving others with a common interest in providing for the diverse needs of the parish, as well as the varied needs of its greater community. Funds raised will provide resources for the parish grief support group, emergency assistance for fuel and housing and utilities for parish communities. Funds also offset expenses for St. John’s Catholic School including development of curriculum and supplies for its students. All Saints Parish has provided the host location since its inception at St. John’s Community Center, which is right beside St. John’s School at 43 Pleasant Street in Brunswick.
Spectrum Generations is an Area Agency on Aging, with the mission to: promote and advance the well-being and independence of older and disabled adults, with the support of their care partners, to live in their community of choice. The non-profit organization offers a wide range of services including information and referral, options counseling, care partner support and home delivered meals through the Meals on Wheels program. Annually, Spectrum Generations will prepare, package, deliver, and serve over 300,000 meals to older and disabled adults. Spectrum Generations originally approached the chamber about partnership on a tree festival in 2019.
Bath-Brunswick Regional Chamber (BBRC) represents businesses and individual members in 16 communities through marketing, promotions, advocacy, networking and innovative programs. Funds will support program development and creation that advance community well-being, including Chamber Works 2030 which is our grassroots workforce program focusing on education, workforce development, and workforce hiring needs. The BBRC coordinates with many of the local businesses for tree sponsorship and event sponsorship, while also serving as the frontward face of the event behind Cory the Elf (outfit by elf, body by gnome).
Together, these three community organizations have a broad reach within Midcoast and central Maine, serving those with the greatest need in a variety of important, life-changing ways. Thank you for providing a sponsorship, volunteers, attending the event or otherwise supporting our Midcoast Tree Festival, your gifts made through Midcoast Tree Festival go a long way to serve the community and we cannot thank you enough for your support!
How the MTF works?
55 tree spaces are available inside St. John’s Community Center and businesses, organizations, or community groups register for free to have one of the spaces. In the space the tree sponsor (called tree benefactors) will put at minimum $500 worth of gifts, decorations and a “tree” (we explain the reason “tree” is in quotation marks below in the Tree Space section). Over the two weekends, families will come by and buy raffle tickets for 50 cents apiece and put them in the tree poles of the trees they want to win. On the closing Sunday we pick the winners and notify them. Then 50+ families get over $500 worth of gifts, decorations and a tree, as December begins.
Along with the trees, St. John’s is decorated festively, we have daily children’s crafts, 2-3 free entertainers daily, holiday-themed concessions, and usually other pieces like a holiday bake sale and more. The event requires getting volunteers to cover 150-180 volunteer shifts, as we require 10-12 volunteers per 2-hour shift.
For the tree benefactors, it’s great exposure, plus $500 in value to the winner is not a very difficult number to get to. Many businesses go above and beyond in the displays and receive yearlong praise for their work. Many look at the tree setup as a team building exercise as their staffs will work all year long on ideas.
For the families that attend, they have a relatively inexpensive day out with a $2 entry fee for people over 12, and 50 cents per raffle ticket (and if families don’t have the entry fee we have donors that can cover that). They get free entertainment, free crafts, and a great way to get into the holiday spirit. Oh, and 50+ families become winners.
For our presenting organizations, it’s a way for us to bring the community together, fundraise for our organizations, but doing so in a way that lifts up the entire community and doesn’t ask too much from anyone, but rather small contributions from many.
The details attached are incredible
Thanks,
Cory (of Cory the Elf)
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