One of the area's favorite and longest running holiday traditions, the Cape Fear Festival of Trees, will be held in November.Here are four things to know about this holiday event.What's happening?The Lower Cape Fear LifeCare, a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing access to the highest quality LifeCare, education, and supportive services, will hold its annual Cape Fear Festival of Trees, from Nov. 22 through Dec. 30, from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. at the North Carolina Aquarium at Fort Fisher, 900 Loggerhead Road, Kure Be...
One of the area's favorite and longest running holiday traditions, the Cape Fear Festival of Trees, will be held in November.
Here are four things to know about this holiday event.
What's happening?
The Lower Cape Fear LifeCare, a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing access to the highest quality LifeCare, education, and supportive services, will hold its annual Cape Fear Festival of Trees, from Nov. 22 through Dec. 30, from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. at the North Carolina Aquarium at Fort Fisher, 900 Loggerhead Road, Kure Beach. The festival began more than 30 years ago as a fundraiser to support local nonprofit Lower Cape Fear LifeCare. A spectacular forest of about 50 festively decorated trees greet visitors at the aquarium throughout the engaging aquatic displays.
Decorated trees
Area businesses, groups, organizations, families and individuals sponsor the trees. Sponsors decorate their trees in a theme of their choosing. Sponsors can decorate their trees in a way that represents their mission ? a take-off on a current trend, focuses on the services or products that the particular business offers, or honors and remembers loved ones. Also sponsors can request Lower Cape Fear LifeCare volunteers to decorate their tree to fit their theme.
Admission
Standard admission rates apply. All tickets must be reserved in advance on the aquarium’s website, https://www.ncaquariums.com/tickets-ff. People interested in booking a specific date should reserve their tickets early. The aquarium and festival will be closed on Thanksgiving and Christmas Day. Lower Cape Fear LifeCare receives no funds from ticket sales during the event. Donations are greatly appreciated.
Annual wreath sale
Volunteers and Lower Cape Fear LifeCare team members create a variety of handmade holiday wreaths that visitors can purchase. The wreath can be made classically traditional to fun and funky to popular holiday themes to fit each person style and taste.
What does the festival benefit?
Proceeds gained through tree sponsorships, donations from visitors, and wreath sales go to work right here in the Wilmington area providing care and support to local individuals and families living with serious or life-limiting illnesses.
If you can't make it to the Cape Fear Festival of Trees in New Hanover County, visit the fifth annual Festival of Trees at the Museum of Coastal Carolina, 21 E. Second St., Ocean Isle Beach.
Visitors can stroll through the museum at a leisurely pace and admire trees artfully decorated. The themes include "‘Twas the Night Before Christmas," “Elf” (the movie), Disney as well as coastal, nautical and traditional holiday themes.
The Festival of Trees at the museum will open Thursday, Nov. 7 and run through Dec. 31, Thursdays-Saturdays. Hours: 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Thursday-Saturday and noon to 4 p.m. Sunday. The museum is closed on Thanksgiving and Christmas Day.
For more information, visit https://museumplanetarium.org/.