For forty years, the Everson Museum of Art has transformed into a nostalgic winter wonderland for one special week each December. Visitors explore festive displays of sparkling trees alongside artworks hung in the galleries, while live music and applause echo from the Sculpture Court below. Downstairs in the Winter Art Studio, children and families paint clay snowmen to proudly display in their homes.
What visitors don’t see are the long hours spent planning and setting up for the Festival of Trees & Light — volunteers tirelessly wrapping lights around trees and placing ornaments in just the right spots to bring their creative vision to life.
This year’s milestone celebration is a heartfelt tribute to the generations of volunteers who built, sustained, and continue to make the Festival shine, while debuting new features that light the future.
Inspired by other nationwide museums that successfully ran the fundraiser, Everson Members’ Council volunteers organized the first Festival of Trees in December 1985. The festival showcased 47 uniquely decorated trees donated by local businesses, organizations, and individuals. Over the course of a week, the Festival featured holiday-themed performances and craft demonstrations, with visitors having the opportunity to purchase the trees.
The inaugural Festival was the Everson’s largest and most successful fundraiser that year, drawing a crowd of more than 8,000 people and raising $27,000 towards Museum expenses.
“The first Festival of Trees was highly anticipated after two years of planning by Members’ Council,” said Pat Humpleby, founding member and 1987 Festival chair. “It was the beginning of an event that the Syracuse community has enjoyed for 40 years.”
Such success paved the way for the Festival to return in 1986 as an annual event. That year, Members’ Council customized programming to engage more families with young children, adding holiday movies, magic shows, face painting, and even a meet-and-greet with Santa Claus. Visitors also enjoyed a more expansive display of holiday décor on each floor of the Museum. Along with the 50 trees showcased, the Festival expanded to feature decorated wreaths, front-door displays, and table centerpieces. As programming and the visual appeal of the event grew, so did community enthusiasm, with 9,000 visitors attending the Festival of Trees that year.
The Festival has been held for 40 consecutive years, even during the COVID-19 pandemic. Like any longstanding tradition, it has evolved. In 2009, the Festival of Trees temporarily moved to ShoppingTown Mall to accommodate the touring exhibition Turner to Cezanne. And in 2020, the event was officially renamed the Festival of Trees & Light to promote greater inclusivity of diverse faiths and holiday traditions.
“It’s a lot of tenacity. Knowing how to make things happen and following through,” said Patricia Miller, 2016-2018 Festival chair. “When you are involved in something like [the Festival of Trees & Light], you want to live up to the expectation of those who have run the event in the past.”
The 40th Annual Festival of Trees & Light, coming to the Everson December 4-13, will feature a display showcasing its history, featuring articles, photos, programs, and other memorabilia collected by the Members’ Council over time. By highlighting Festival history, particularly the vital role played by women volunteers, the Everson aims to honor the legacy of those who have sustained the event for the past four decades. Members’ Council is also bringing back visitor favorites from recent years, like the eye-catching pink flamingo tree included in the 2023 Festival display.
Of course, no tradition can continue growing without considering the future.
The Everson is proud to announce a new partnership with design firm FutureBrand Syracuse, who will bring an innovative light installation into the planters bordering the Members’ Council Gallery. The Everson Members’ Council hopes the installation, a snowy cityscape reflecting Syracuse’s diversity, will return for years to come.
“The 40th Festival of Trees & Light is a historical marker, but also the debut of one of our most innovative displays,” said Lizbeth Herrick, chair of this year’s Festival. “We are honoring the past, celebrating in the present, and looking to the future.”
