• Event features a Gingerbread House contest.

Star Valley’s Second Annual Festival of Trees takes place this Friday and Saturday at Gather in Afton.  All proceeds from the festival go towards stocking the three Star Valley Food Pantries for the holiday season.

“We’re thrilled to share how the Star Valley Festival of Trees has grown this year,” said Patricia Naumoff, committee member and event planner for the festival, in an email to SVI Media. It’s “shaping up to be one for the books, and we couldn’t be more excited to share it with the community.”  This year’s committee is particularly pleased to offer new additions to the weekend, including the Breakfast with Santa (which was sold out by press time), a Chef’s Soup Luncheon, now offering a children’s option, and a visit with Santa and Mrs. Claus.

Festival doors will be open to guests from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. both days. Breakfast with Santa is scheduled for Saturday morning at 10 a.m.  Lunch, featuring three soup choices and three holiday cookie choices, will be served from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. each day at $10 for adult meals and $7 for child meals. Little guests are invited to visit Santa and Mrs. Claus from 4-8 p.m. on Friday and 2-4 p.m. on Saturday, and “a professional photographer will be capturing all the holiday magic!”

Committee member Bethany Packard is overjoyed with the response to this year’s registration. With 12 “beautiful” trees entered in the Festival Christmas Tree auction, and 52 gingerbread houses entered, the community is in for a holiday treat. Folks who want to purchase the trees or houses can bid in the silent tree auction or drop their raffle ticket in each piece’s corresponding ticket  jar.  Though some creators of the gingerbread houses have chosen to keep their work rather than enter it in the raffle, most of the houses are up for raffle.

“We’re honored to have the Mayors of Afton, Thayne, and Alpine as our esteemed [gingerbread house] judges,” said Naumoff. “It’s truly special to bring these leaders together for such an important cause—tackling food insecurity in Star Valley.”

Packard hopes that folks will enjoy the festival throughout the Thanksgiving weekend, feasting on delicious, hot food, the holiday sights and sounds of Afton’s traditional Parade of Lights, and all the gratitude and joy of the weekend ushering in the Christmas season. “It’s just really going to be a lovely, lovely event.”