Festival of Trees branches into its 48th year

Advertiser Staff

June Jones is among the celebrities decorating "celebritrees" for the event. The 48th annual Festival of Trees 10 a.m.-8 p.m. tomorrow and Saturday 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday (celebritree silent auction bids close at 2 p.m.) Ward Warehouse's Kaka'ako and Kewalo conference rooms $1 suggested donation, free for children 12 and younger 547-4397

See what UH football coach Jones and about 30 other celebrity tree-trimmers created this year for the 48th annual Festival of Trees, presented by The Queen's Medical Center Auxiliary, tomorrow through Sunday at Ward Warehouse.

"This has always been a premiere holiday celebration," said festival chairwoman Barbara Sharp, who has volunteered for the event for 28 years.

The festival's highlight will be the display of 18-inch Christmas trees, also known as "celebritrees," as many of the miniatures were decorated by local celebs, including Henry Kapono, Anne Namba, Kim Taylor Reece, Matt Catingub and the University of Hawai'i men's volleyball team. Visitors will have an opportunity to bid on these trees through a silent auction.

In addition to the celebritree display, festival-goers can check out an exhibit of six artificial Christmas trees, each about seven feet tall and each with its own holiday theme. There will also be hand-decorated ornaments, wreaths, centerpieces, baskets, display pieces, tree skirts, pillows and other handmade gifts for sale.

Proceeds will help finance critical-care ventilators, which cost $30,000 each.

"Last year we were able to give (Queen's) $50,000, and we're hoping to exceed that this year," Sharp said.