COMMUNITY GATHERS FOR CHRISTMAS TREE FESTIVAL
TOOWOOMBA’S Christmas Tree Festival is an annual event to be held at Middle Ridge Uniting Church on Stenner St from 6th to 15th December 2017.
The event commenced in 2004 by the Congregation of St Luke’s Anglican Church, capably aided by numerous volunteers, from within and outside their congregation.
In 2013, the event moved to Middle Ridge Uniting Church, who has promoted the event since then.
Deputy chairman of Toowoomba’s Christmas Tree Festival Committee, Alan Pennington says the real message of Christmas is still alive in our city.
“(I enjoy) sharing with our community the sacred meaning of the Christmas season and the message of Christmas — the birth of Jesus Christ,” Mr Pennington said.
Middle Ridge Uniting Church church administrator Margaret Spinks is excited for the festival.
“A craft group was established after the first year and has been meeting regularly to prepare craft goods for the festival stall,” she said.
“They have enjoyed their time together so much that they plan to continue and will host some children’s school holiday craft workshops and some markets throughout next year.
“It is very rewarding to see how much people of all ages enjoy the concerts, the refreshments, the craft stall and of course the beautiful trees.”
The official opening will be conducted on the opening night at 7pm, by Mayor of the Toowoomba Region, Cr Paul Antonio.
Christmas Trees are decorated in line with a theme adopted by the committee and displayed together with some description of the thoughts in the mind of those decorators.
The theme for 2017 festival is ‘Music of the Nativity’.
Community groups, families
and individuals are invited to decorate one or more trees in line with the theme.
Trees can be supplied by the committee on request, or can be supplied by decorators.
Visitors are invited to donate a gold coin on entry.
In 2017, the proceeds will be shared evenly between the beneficiaries, City Women and Kairos Prison Ministry.
The Rotary Club of Toowoomba will be present to supply an evening meal, and light refreshments are available during the day.
This year we are appealing to organisations within the community to consider taking on the Festival as from 2018. Should you feel that this project is for you, please contact us on our website [Toowoomba’s Christmas Tree Festival] or find us on Facebook.