A Season To Celebrate

For the past five years, the local holiday season has begun with a forest of beautifully decorated trees, the bustle of holiday shoppers, and the familiar gathering of friends and neighbors at the Cashiers Festival of Trees. This year’s celebration, however, carries a little extra significance. Returning Nov. 27 to 28, the Thanksgiving weekend tradition will mark the last annual Festival of Trees before organizers shift to a biennial schedule—a change designed to help sustain the beloved event and the community it supports.

While the summer fundraiser, Toast to the Trees, will remain an annual event, the next Festival of Trees after this year will fall in 2028.

“We had a vision for the festival to go every other year once it met a level of growth, and we feel like we are in a position to do that,” Festival Director Melissa Hudson says. “Having more time to plan will ensure we can continue to create a successful and meaningful event that our community has come to love. This is an intentional change designed to preserve the magic of the festival while also supporting the incredible donors and volunteers who make it all possible. We hope people will embrace the new tradition, get excited, and put it on their calendar for 2028.”

Since its inception in 2021, the Festival of Trees has raised over $2.3 million in support of Summer Charter School and fellow nonprofit organizations. Last year the Festival of Trees raised over $500,000, and organizers are hoping to meet or exceed that figure in 2026.

“This year is really significant,” Hudson says. “We’re hopeful that the success of the festival will help sustain Summit in the year between festivals and continue to extend our impact throughout the community. Having funds to provide teachers and students with the education they deserve is important for all of us.”

Held on the school’s campus at 370 Mitten Lane, the Festival of Trees features a winter wonderland of festive trees, wreaths, gift baskets, and other silent auction items that may be bid on in person or online. There are also children’s activities, such as a teddy bear workshop and breakfast with Santa, as well as food trucks and a vendor village. Those who don’t want to miss the football action can visit the game-day lounge, and blacksmithing and glassblowing demonstrations are also planned.

“Young at heart and young in age, we have something for everyone,” Hudson says. “It’s a great way to kick off the holiday season while giving back to the community.”

Admission to the festival is $5 per adult, which covers both days; entry is free for children ages 18 and younger. Details about activities and other aspects of the festival may be found at www.summitschool.org/festival-of-trees.

The Festival of Trees is possible due to community support in the form of hundreds of volunteers and generous donations from individuals and businesses, including presenting sponsor Cashiers Valley Real Estate, Hudson says.

“It certainly takes a village to make this happen, so we’re really grateful for the support,” she says. “It’s inspiring to see everybody come together to help their community. We’re grateful that the festival has become what it is today. It’s exceeded our expectations, and we’re looking forward to the next chapter.”