Festival of Trees lights up the holidays Ten Christmas trees, located throughout the city, will be lit at 5 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 29.
Posted on Wednesday, November 19, 2008
This year, the Bella Vista Property Owners Association is introducing its first Festival of Trees, a communitywide event organized by Sylvia Camacho-Green.
The POA, the city of Bella Vista and participating businesses and civic groups invite the community to participate in the free holiday events.
Ten Christmas trees will be lit at 5 p. m. Nov. 29. Each location will have a theme, and some will have activities for all ages.
In addition, items will be collected at specified locations for local nonprofit organizations.
The trees, locations and events include:
• Sugar Creek Center, 60 Sugar Creek Center (U. S. Highway 71 ), from 3 p. m. to 6 p. m. Nov. 29. The Christmas tree, sponsored by the Bella Vista Business Association, will have an “ Our Town ” theme.
Arkansas Kids and the Bella Vista Men’s Chorus will perform at 3 p. m. Party Time Pony Rides will be available for $ 5. There will be complimentary hot chocolate, coffee and popcorn, as well as treats available for purchase from Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory.
Nonperishable items will be collected inside Allen’s Foods for Care and Share in Gravette.
• Metfield Clubhouse, 1 Euston Road, from 3: 30 p. m. until 5: 30 p. m. Nov. 29. Sponsors include Metfield Neighbors, Metfield Neighborhood Grill, the Village Pride Committee, Hill ’n ’ Dale Hikers and the Texas Canasta Group. The tree theme will be “ Nutritional Eating. ”
The festivities will include carolers from the First United Methodist Church of Bella Vista and a puppet show.
Canned food for a food bank and cleaning products for the Bella Vista Animal Shelter will be collected in Metfield Clubhouse.
• Highlands gate, 1802 Forest Hills Blvd., from 3 p. m. to 5 p. m. Nov. 29. A tree with an “ Animals ” theme will be presented by Arvest Bank, Bank of the Ozarks, Brookfield Assisted Living and the Welcome Club of Bella Vista.
Children and pets may have a photograph taken with Santa for $ 5, if the photo is picked up at a later date, or $ 6 if mailed; Christmas carols will be led by the First United Methodist Church choir, and refreshments will be served inside Arvest Bank. Weather permitting, pets will be available for adoption from the Bella Vista Animal Shelter.
Bleach, liquid dishwashing soap, detergent, garbage bags (33 gallons and larger ), towels and blankets for the animal shelter will be collected at Arvest Bank and the Bank of the Ozarks.
• Cooper Elementary School, 2 Blowing Springs Road, from 3 p. m. to 5 p. m. Nov. 29.
Cooper Elementary School and the Bentonville-Bella Vista Chamber of Commerce have chosen “ Kids ” as the focus of their tree.
Children’s hats and mittens and nonperishable food items will be collected outside the school.
• Highlands Clubhouse entrance, 500 Glasgow Drive, at 5 p. m. Nov. 29. Friends of the Highlands will light their golf-theme tree. The Highlands Church choir will sing Christmas carols, and Papa Mike’s at the Highlands will offer a special dinner menu.
Nonperishable food items for Care and Share will be collected inside the restaurant.
• Corner of Lancashire Boulevard and Chelsea Road, at 5 p. m. Nov. 29. The “ Shoes for Orphans ” tree is being sponsored by the Bella Vista Sunrise Rotary Club.
New shoes, from infant to size 13, will be collected at Allen’s Foods, Arvest Bank at Sugar Creek Center, Concordia Catered Living, Highlands Senior Health Center, Hutchinson Realty and the Bella Vista Country Club.
• Town Center West, 101 Town Center, by the POA’s Membership Services Department and Bella Vista’s Police and Fire departments. A “ Holidays at Home ” tree will be presented at 5 p. m. Nov. 29 by the Bentonville-Bella Vista Board of Realtors.
On Dec. 4, at 6 p. m., the Cooper Elementary School Choir will perform seasonal music near the Christmas tree. Refreshments will be served.
Unwrapped gifts for area school children between the ages of 5 and 9 will be collected at Century 21 A & B Village Realty, 2860 Bella Vista Way; ERA Kaufmann Associates, 642 W. Lancashire; and Hutchinson Realty, 2872 Bella Vista Way.
• Town Center East, at the intersection of Arkansas Highway 340 and U. S 71, from 3 p. m. to 5 p. m. Nov. 29.
Simmons First Bank, Vacation Rentals, First United Methodist Church and the Town and Country 4-H Club will unveil their “ Birds, Dogs, Cats ” tree. Refreshments will be served at Vacation Rentals.
Birdseed for Concordia residents and garbage bags (33 gallons or larger ), towels and blankets for the Bella Vista Animal Shelter will be collected at Simmons First Bank and Vacation Rentals.
• Veterans Wall of Honor, U. S. 71 to Dartmoor Road, at 5 p. m. Nov. 29. A special program is planned for 3 p. m. to 5 p. m. Sunday, Nov. 30.
The Veterans Wall of Honor Board and Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 9063 and its auxiliary will use their Christmas tree to show their patriotism.
Santa Claus will make a special appearance, and a memory photo collage will be dedicated at 3 p. m. The Bentonville High School band will play at 4: 30 p. m. Pumpkin pie, ice cream, coffee and hot cocoa will be served.
Photos of men and women who are active or inactive in the armed forces will be accepted at the Bella Vista Country Club, Attn: Sylvia Camacho-Green, 98 Clubhouse Drive, Bella Vista, AR 72715. The 3 x 5-inch photos will be placed on a collage and displayed under the tree. The photos, which must be received by Nov. 24, will not be returned.
• Branchwood Recreation Center, 222 Glasgow Drive. The POA staff will decorate a tree with “ Ozark Nature ” in mind.
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