Video Transcript: Community gives back to the Everson
Griffin Fellows: Just like Vince Guaraldi said, Christmas time is here, and so is the 40th annual Everson Museum of Art’s Festival of Trees and Light. The event has been a community staple with many returning year after year to see all the new trees that the festival has to offer.
Fellows: One new exhibit shows a cutout of the snow covered Syracuse skyline and it was championed by the museum’s new Director of Marketing and Communications Kaziah Searles, who in her short time at the museum has seen first hand for much the festival means.
Searles: You know doing it for 40 years you would think that me starting in July that I would kind of just got thrown in a few months in but as soon as I started that was one of the first conversations that we had about how to promote and work on the 40th so its pretty much a most of the year round plan that we have going on.
Fellows: While the holiday season is in full swing and the snow is up to our ankles out there, the Everson Center Christmas trees remind us of the true meaning of the season, giving.
Fellows: Every tree that you’ve seen so far has been donated to the Everson Center, a true showcase of how much this event means to the community. Former event chair and longtime volunteer Cathy Winger
Winger: The trees are all so unique each year, I can never really think of an alltime favorite over all these 20 years and I’ve been involved, but they’re just all so beautiful.
Fellows: Event goers can even buy a tree on display and take it home with them at the end of the festival’s two week run. All proceeds from ticket sales and tree sales go directly to help keep the museum running. For more information you can look on the everson museum of arts website at everson.org.
SYRACUSE, N.Y. (NCC NEWS)— As temperatures drop and holiday cheer fills the air, the Everson Museum of Art has once again opened its doors for the 40th annual Festival of Trees and Light
The beloved community event, which kicked off on Dec. 4, has become a holiday staple in Syracuse, drawing visitors year after year to admire the creative and festive displays that fill the museum’s galleries.
This year’s festival features a new highlight: a cutout display of the snow-covered Syracuse skyline. The exhibit was championed by Kaziah Searles, the museum’s new director of marketing and communications, who quickly discovered the significance of the festival after joining the staff in July.
“You know, doing it for 40 years you would think that me starting in July that I would kind of just get thrown in a few months in, but as soon as I started that was one of the first conversations that we had about how to promote and work on the 40th,” Searles said. “It’s pretty much a most-of-the-year-round plan that we have going on.”
The festival showcases the generosity of the Syracuse community, with every tree on display being donated to the museum. With donatoring coming back year after year to try and top the creations of years prior.
“The trees are all so unique each year. I can never really think of an all-time favorite over all these 20 years I’ve been involved, but they’re just all so beautiful,” said Cathy Winger, the former event chair and longtime volunteer.
Visitors have the opportunity to purchase the trees on display, taking home a piece of the festival when the two-week event concludes. All proceeds from ticket and tree sales directly support the museum’s operations.
For more information about visiting hours and tickets, visit everson.org.