Arboretum to feature festival of trees and silent auction

Montgomery — The Festival of Trees and Silent Auction will be held from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., on Saturday and Sunday, Dec. 3 and 4, at the Orange County Arboretum. Santa Claus and his elves will be greeting visitors throughout the day, and refreshments will be available. A towering evergreen will be adorned with handmade woodland ornaments and lights. The decorations will be crafted using pinecones, acorns, nuts, milkweed pods, dried flowers, seeds, teasel, pussy willow, grapevines, sweet gum balls and other natural materials. Live wreaths, poinsettias and garlands will be sold in the new Kosuga greenhouse. Garden Club members, prominent community leaders and private citizens have volunteered to design, decorate, and donate artificial tabletop trees, wreaths, garlands, ornaments and specialty decor for sale and auction. The public will have an opportunity to bid or purchase the themed trees, wreaths, garlands and ornaments during the two-day festival and silent auction. All proceeds will benefit the arboretum. The event is sponsored in cooperation with the Department of Parks, Recreation and Conservation. The arboretum is located in Thomas Bull Memorial Park on Grove St., at 211 Route 416 in Hamptonburg. For more information, call 457-4902 or visit ocparks@co.orange.ny.us.