The 2016 Festival of Trees, which took place Nov. 23-30, attracted nearly 19,000 visitors to downtown Fort Wayne. Lobbies of the Embassy Theatre and Indiana Hotel were transformed into a wonderland of Christmas trees under the theme of “Holiday Memories.”
The annual fundraiser and community event featured 58 uniquely decorated Christmas trees.
Embassy staff tallied patrons’ votes for favorite trees to determine the following People’s Choice Award winners:
First Place People’s Choice – I’ll Be Home for Christmas, sponsored by KPC Media Group, decorated by LeAnn Conley
Second Place People’s Choice – A Christmas Dory, sponsored by BND, decorated by Rosie Freeman & BND Commercial
Third Place People’s Choice –The Christmas Bride, sponsored by Marry Me in Fort Wayne, decorated by Nicole Hodgeman and Emily Bunker
Festival of Trees raffle winners were:
Wells Fargo Money Tree (cash) – Beth Yoder, Fort Wayne
Jefferson Pointe Tree (gift certificates) – Becky Sorg, New Haven
TinCaps baseball Tree (season tickets) – Denis Benetii, Fort Wayne
The Price is Right LIVE Tree (show tickets) – Julie Stucky, Fort Wayne; Kelli Crosby, Fort Wayne
Vera Bradley Raffle (fashion accessories) – Evelyn Boyce, Sylvania, OH
Peg Perego raffle (children’s toys) – Sue Halldorsson, Fort Wayne; Joe Fisher, Fort Wayne
The 2016 Tree Decorator awards were announced at the Nov. 22 sponsors’ preview night. First place was awarded to “The 1960s COLOR TV Revolution,” sponsored by ABC21 and decorated by Jessica Diane Designs LLC. Second place went to “Kroger of Yesteryear,” sponsored by Kroger and decorated by Kroger Floral Design. Third place was won by “A Christmas Dory,” sponsored by BND and decorated by Rosie Freeman and BND Commercial. Judges were Andrew Welch (Ivy Tech Community College Northeast) and Molly McGowan (University of Saint Francis).
Founded in 1984, the Festival of Trees supports ongoing operational and restoration efforts for the Embassy Theatre Foundation. The festival is the organization’s largest annual fundraising event.
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