Re-Imagining Festival Of Trees 2020

​You may have already heard the news: Quad City Arts has made the difficult decision not to host the 35th Annual Kwik Star Festival of Trees in person this year due to uncertainty and concern for the safety of our volunteers, staff, and community as a whole regarding the COVID-19 pandemic.  The Holiday Parade and all other special events will also not be held this year.  

We’re disappointed, and I’m sure you are too. Festival of Trees is near and dear to many of us in the community and it is the place where many memories have been made, family pictures have been taken, and funds have been raised to support Quad City Arts’ mission to provide art for all. Festival of Trees will still continue and we are excited to share with you what we have in store for this year and for years to come!  

Since we are unable to gather in person, we are asking you to partner with us to continue the spirit of Festival of Trees through a one-day special event in support of the arts! On November 21, join Festival of Trees and KWQC for a fun-filled, one-hour televised holiday special and Day of Giving. It will be a day of support and celebration that we hope will fill hearts with holiday cheer as we ask the community to join us in support of the arts.  

We will still have some old favorites like the Honor Tree, Isabel Bloom, and VIP Baskets this year, and lots of surprises still to come!  

Read the full press release below.
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​After thoughtful and careful consideration, Quad City Arts has made the difficult decision not to host the 35th Annual Kwik Star Festival of Trees in person this year due to uncertainty and concern for the safety of our volunteers, staff, and community as a whole regarding the COVID-19 pandemic.  The Holiday Parade and all other special events will also not be held this year.  This decision was led by Festival of Trees volunteer management team with the full support of the Quad City Arts’ staff and Board of Directors. We recognize that Festival of Trees is a beloved holiday tradition in the Quad Cities, and while this was not an easy decision to make, we believe it is the right one.  

In lieu of an in-person event this year, we are partnering with KWQC to present a fun-filled one-hour Holiday Special to air on Saturday, November 21st during the traditional parade hour, and we are asking the community to partner with us for a Day of Giving on the same day.  Our goal is to set up matching donors and sponsors who will help make donations go farther.  We know VIP Baskets are a crowd favorite at Festival of Trees, so they will be returning this year, but with a new twist! We have some exciting events and challenges planned for that day as well, so stay tuned for details! 

Festival of Trees started in 1986 with a small group of volunteers that believed in the impact of the arts. They set out on a mission to support bringing high-quality artists right here to the Quad Cities, inspiring a generation of students and families through access to the arts. That first year, their purpose was twofold: First, be a community celebration of the holiday season. Second, raise funds for the Visiting Artist Series.  

Over the years, Festival of Trees has not only continued to be a major supporter of The Visiting Artist Series and Quad City Arts, but it’s also become a staple in the Quad Cities as the unofficial kickoff to the holiday season, bringing together hundreds of sponsors and tens of thousands of supporters to experience the magic of Festival. And it all started with that group of people who believed it was possible. We chose the theme for this year, “Believe”, in January not knowing what the next several months had in store, but we are invested in continuing to believe in the mission of Festival of Trees as a community event and fundraiser for Quad City Arts.  

With that in mind, we hope to bring the spirit of Festival of Trees to the community this year through this one-day special event in support of the arts.  In addition, Quad City Arts plans to have select designs available for sale in our Rock Island Gallery, along with items from the Tinsel Treasures Gift Shop and Be Original Gallery. Honor Tree ornaments and Isabel Bloom sculptures will still be available for purchase on the Festival website or at the Rock Island Gallery as we know many will still want to commemorate this year in their collection and honor loved ones with a personalized ornament. 

The health and wellness of our community is, above all else, our first priority and we truly believe that the spirit of Festival of Trees will be preserved this year through community connection and a commitment to supporting the arts.   

Quad City Arts is a local, nonprofit arts agency dedicated to enriching the quality of life in the Quad City region through the arts.   

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