Keep Johnston County Beautiful, Inc. (KJCB) is planning its Ninth Annual Festival of Trees – a display of live, NC-grown, premium grade Christmas Trees decorated in various themes appropriate for the Christmas Season.  This is our “Gift to the County” during the week of November 29 through December 5, 2012 at the Johnston Medical Mall in Smithfield.  There is no admission charge so families can enjoy a festive experience as the Christmas Season begins.

All donations are tax deductible.  Deadline for entries is November 1, 2012.

HOW IT ALL HAPPENS
Keep Johnston County Beautiful will purchase and deliver the trees to the Johnston Medical Mall in Smithfield.  They will be placed in stands and arranged in alphabetical order.  You, as a tree sponsor, can decorate your tree, have someone do it for you, or we will recruit a group to decorate it for you.  Each sponsored Christmas tree will be identified by sponsor name (unless you request anonymity), level of sponsorship, decorator name and title or theme of the tree.  The Festival of Trees is open to the public during Johnston Medical Mall operating hours.  Entertainment groups such as school choruses, choirs, soloists, groups, bell ringers, instrumentalists, etc. are scheduled to perform at various times throughout the week.   

LAST YEAR’S RECORD SUCCESS
At the 2011 Festival of Trees, there were 50 decorated trees and almost 14,000 people were tallied to have walked in during the Festival’s operating hours.  Over seventy (70) entertainment features including children’s choruses, church choirs, soloists, school bands, groups and others performed throughout the       week.  More than 100 volunteers served on the Festival of Trees’ committees.   The public feedback and support has been gratifying which inspires us to continue this splendid Christmas event.

The purpose of this project is to raise funds to enhance the work of Keep Johnston County Beautiful, Inc, a non-profit organization founded in 1978.  Our major project is the publication of the Johnston County Historical Architectural Survey, a book which is a compilation of approximately 500 pages of historical properties in the county.  Some of our other projects include the installation of recycle bins and trash bins along the Buffalo Creek Greenway and community park, litter awareness campaigns (Litter Patrol Violation cards), the Youth Environmental Poster Contest, natural area protection such as Flower Hill and public education to help make Johnston County a better place to live and work. 

The 2012 Festival of Trees will have a special memorial tree in honor of Sue Lassiter Wood, who played an integral role in making the Festival of Trees the success it is today. 

The Festival of Trees provides an opportunity for creative expression and an exciting event for families and friends during the holiday season.  We invite you to be a part of this event.  There will be only 50 trees available for sponsorship. Your early response will help us with follow-up details.  We look forward to hearing from you soon. We have pdf forms posted on this website for your convenience.  2012 Tree Sponsor form,  2012 Decorator Form, 2012 Schedule.
 

Share a can; support a gift to the county
The  festival committee has endorsed the newest "gift to the county," a canned food drive in conjunction with the ninth annual Christmas tree festival.  We are asking festival visitors and patrons to contribute canned food goods at the festival site.  Cash donations are also accepted. Checks made out to KJCB Food Ministries. Look for donation cans at north and south ends, hostess tables. Please plan to visit the food tree while at the festival and enjoy a special "thank you" holiday kiss.  (read more)

Thanks goes to the Smithfield Selma High School FFA Chapter for unloading, prepping and set-up of the Christmas trees.  Click for photos.