Photo by "Hiking Artist" http://www.flickr.com/photos/hikingartist/

For more than 25 years Saint Alphonsus has sponsored Boise’s Festival of Trees. Thanksgiving week of 1985, Ed Osborne, president, and the rest of the Saint Alphonsus Foundation began the first Festival of Trees in Boise. Without a convention center, the festival has been held in various locations; old warehouses, an old JC Penny building, a vacated Albertsons, and now on the Boise Centre on the Grove. Now each Thanksgiving week the St. Alphonsus foundation holds an annual festival to benefit the Boise community.

There is something for every family member to enjoy at the festival. Each day of Thanksgiving week decorative trees are on display from 10am to 9pm. The main social events included in the festival are breakfast with Santa, the black-tie gala celebration, and a fashion show luncheon. Breakfast with Santa is a great event for children to meet Santa, sing Christmas carols, and celebrate with Mrs. Clause, the elves and family. Each child that attends the breakfast gets a special gift to take home. The Gala is a black-tie affair where the money is raised for the foundation. All of the trees in the festival are decorated by one of three categories: professional, amateur, or school. These trees are donated and then auctioned off or sold for thousands of dollars at the Gala Celebration. Finally, on the last day of the festival a fashion show displays trends from local boutiques while observers eat lunch. This helps local businesses get publicity and increase their sales.

Not only is this event a great way to get the family in the mood for the holiday season, it also benefits the community by raising money for healthcare. Throughout the years the Festival of Trees event has raised more than $7 million to advance healthcare in the treasure valley. Many participants claim to truly love this event because it is fun for the whole family while also benefiting a great cause.

For more information about the Festival or the Saint Alphonsus Foundation click here http://www.saintalphonsus.org/Foundation-FOT-main.aspx