OKEECHOBEE – The Second Annual Okeechobee Main Street Festival of Trees event took place on Saturday, Nov. 21, 2020 at Main Street’s new location on Northeast Second Street in Okeechobee This event featured a silent auction of donated Christmas Trees and Holiday Décor with a portion of the proceeds donated to Hospice of Okeechobee, Inc.

The overwhelming donations filled the rooms with incredibly creative and inspirational themes on twelve (12) full size trees, numerous tabletop trees, wreaths, gift baskets, a handcrafted quilt and centerpieces.

In true Okeechobee fashion, the donations showed all the hard work and dedication by businesses and individuals to make this event a success to raise funds to assist the important services that Hospice of Okeechobee provides to the residents of Okeechobee.

The silent auction began earlier in the afternoon from 2 to 5 p.m. with a free preview of the trees and decorations. The Festival of Trees party began at 6 p.m. with attendees enjoying the ambience of the holiday decorations in the beautifully renovated building that is now Okeechobee Main Street’s new home and the Arts & Culture Alliance new Art Center, had fun bidding on their favorite items, enjoyed wonderful hors d’oeuvres by D & G Catering and comradery with friends and business associates.

The event promoted CDC health protocol. A quaint outdoor social distancing area was provided, and a Christmas Mask Contest took place to encourage mask wearing by attendees. The decorated masks were so incredible that the First Place Mask Contest Award ended in a three-way tie between Jennifer Busbin, Faith Nielson and Connie Williams. They will now share the Christmas Tree Gnome Wearing a Mask Trophy. Second Place was awarded to Melisa Jahner. They all each also won a free one-year Arts & Culture Alliance membership.

Okeechobee Main Street is grateful to everyone that donated items, helped decorate the items and all that attended the event. Without all of you this event would not have been a success.

Okeechobee Main Street would like to give thanks to Joel Bass of Bass Electric for providing his staff and bucket truck to put up the lights on the outside of the building; Home Depot for their generous financial assistance with the purchase of the outside lights; and to the amazing Main Street Festival of Trees Committee of Angie Griffin, Bridgette Waldau, Marin Heddsheimer, Sharie Turgeon, Shirley Palmer, Pam Peppers and Kathy Scott for all the hours you gave planning, distributing promotional materials, event set up coordination and volunteering at event. Also, a special thanks to Walpole, Inc for the beautiful renovations made on their new Main Street home. Everyone’s efforts made this event something everyone in Okeechobee can be proud of.

This event will continue to be one of many scheduled Main Street activities so Save The Date for 2021 Festival of Trees on Saturday, Nov. 20, 2021. They look forward to donation participants and attendees to make this event grow

For further information about Okeechobee Main Street and events please call 863-357-6246, visit their new location at 111 NE 2ND Street, email info@okeechobeemainstreet.org or web-site at www.OkeechobeeMainStreet.org