Gualala Arts Promoting public interest and participation in the arts since 1961
The holidays are almost here, and that means Gualala Arts’ Festival of Trees, the 15th annual festival, will be here for the Friday and Saturday of Thanksgiving weekend, November 23 and 24, kicking off the Holiday Season on the Mendonoma Coast. Admission is free.
The annual tree lighting ceremony with caroling is Friday evening at 5 pm.
Santa Claus will visit both days—Friday, noon, 3 pm and 5 pm and Saturday at noon and 3 pm.
Artists and food artisans fill the Arts Center with art, handcrafted goods, homemade jams and the like… wonderful gift items to choose from just before the holidays!
Children love shopping at the Kid’s Depot, open upstairs from 10 am to 4 pm both days, where they can choose gifts for their family and friends from lightly loved donated items that fall within a child’s budget.
Uncle Sus’s Attic offers adults the same experience, with a collection of carefully curated artwork, fine furnishings, small appliances and more!
Mrs. Claus’ Bake Shoppe is filled with home-baked goodies such as candies, pies and cookies made from family and Festival of Trees recipes, a great addition to the holiday weekend dessert tables when family and friends abound!
The Holiday Clay Studio (downstairs) will be open Friday and Saturday from 11 am to 3 pm.
Ornate Christmas trees decorate the Coleman Hall stage and are available f
or purchase as part of our Silent Auction fundraiser, and Santa and Mrs. Claus will be making a list of children’s wants and wishes throughout both days of this old fashioned, Winter Wonderland event! It’s cozy, cheerful fun for the family that puts everyone in the holiday mood!
Gualala Arts and the Dolphin Gallery will both have special mailboxes to drop off letters for Santa. Both Santa and Mrs. Claus will be receiving and reading the letters during this month’s Festival of Trees, Nov. 23 and 24. And for those needing a little assistance, Gualala Arts will have elves standing by to help write letters to Santa as well during the Festival of Trees.
The annual holiday raffle winner will be selected Saturday afternoon at 3:30 pm.