Prince George, B.C.- The   Festival of Trees opens this morning at the Prince George Civic Centre.

The annual Festival is one of the most important a fundraising efforts of  the Spirit of the North Healthcare Foundation.  The Festival is longer this year, running nine days. It has  all the   glitter and   glow that kicks off the season,   and   the gala event will see bidders going head to head to try and buy the tree and it’s special gifts, at the price they want.

There are the annual favourites including special wreaths and the gift shop    and the Gingerbread lane features more than houses, as   gingerbread trains and their stations seem to be popular.

Once again,   one of the most interesting trees is the one that carries the Tim Horton’s name.   Two years ago the tree formed a coffee pot, last year, it was a tea pot. This year,  the theme is “Hat’s off to Santa” and the tree is very much, a big, beautiful, red Santa hat! (at right, Denis Cowley  reshapes the  snow on the  clock tower)

The Festival opens at 10 this morning and runs till 5 p.m. Here is the balance of the schedule as well as the admission prices:

·        Sunday, Nov. 22^nd  – noon to 6 p.m.

·        Monday 23rd, Tuesday 24^th , Wednesday 25^th , Thursday 26^th  9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. each day

·        Friday Nov 27^th  9a.m. - 5 p.m.

·        Saturday Nov. 28th  9 a.m. - 5 p.m.

·        Sunday, 29^th   11 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.