Our office is buzzing as we prepare for our biggest season of the year — not autumn but Midcoast Tree Festival season. Is it odd to call a two-weekend event a season? Maybe. But it truly feels like that, because so much planning goes into this great event and, with its annual growth, MTF 2023 promises to be bigger than ever.

Here are 10 reasons to be excited for the 5th Annual Midcoast Tree Festival:

It’s a great fundraiser and fun-raiser

Typically, we save the beneficiaries until the end, but for this one time, it’s worth putting it up front. This event began five years ago when Spectrum Generations (initiators of such great programs as Meals on Wheels) met with our chamber about the potential of a tree festival. They needed a venue and partners; we wanted to partner and knew All Saints Parish had just opened the St. John’s Community Center, and it was a perfect event location (plus, we’d worked with their splendid crew before on chamber events).

The three organizations have worked tirelessly ever since to grow this event over the years, and the proceeds are split evenly between the three organizations. Last year, the festival saw a fundraising increase of 25% and over 60,000 raffle tickets were sold. It’s fun for families and a great fundraiser, too!

More trees in 2023

Nearly every tree space from 2022 is returning, and new tree spaces are signing up, which is incredible. We had 44 tree spaces in 2022, and we’re close to that number with still three weeks of signups remaining. We have 55 potential spaces this year, which would be a 25% increase in tree spaces families could win. Our goal is 50 trees, but we’d love to get to 55.

New layout but just as spacious

One comment we receive often is that people appreciate how the Midcoast Tree Festival is very walkable and doesn’t have crowded walkways — that is an intentional choice that we make with our layout. We want to assure people that even though we may increase our tree spaces by 25% this year, that won’t change the spaciousness much, if at all. Our plan is to add the trees by cutting in a second crosswalk between the outer ring of trees in that vacant space behind the tree ticket station. Four trees will fit on either side of that crosswalk, and then the additional three spaces, if needed, will complete the horseshoe that encompasses the crafting area.

The return of Mega Tree

Mega Tree was something we started in 2021 and consists of a donated gift from each tree space and dozens of other donated gifts (sponsored by Priority Real Estate Group). Though you don’t win the elevated 16-foot giant tree, you do win the bounty of gifts and receive a tree trophy. As always, Mega Tree tickets are just the same as any other tree ticket you purchase, at only 50 cents apiece.

More entertainment and crafts

We love our daily entertainment and children’s crafts, and we’re continuing to develop both of those this year. We’re booking talent right now for the daily entertainment as we shoot to have at least two performances on every full day. If you’re interested in performing, you can contact me at the chamber office (cory@midcoastmaine.com). If you have craft ideas, craft kits or want to volunteer in the craft area, please contact me as well.

Great social event for volunteers

If you like the holidays, love these organizations or want to give back by volunteering during the holiday season with your family, the MTF is a great place to do just that. The volunteer link is on our website at midcoastmaine.com (then click on the Midcoast Tree Festival link in the upper left corner). We need greeters, ticket sellers, 50/50 sellers, craft overseers and more.

Huge exposure for businesses

One hundred sixty-four businesses and organizations were represented at the festival as a tree space sponsor; by donating to Mega Tree, sponsoring a portion of the event or donating a wreath; or were represented by an item in another tree space. That’s an astounding number of businesses being a part of it, and if your business would like to participate as a sponsor or donator, I’d love to tell you just how you can do it — contact me at the chamber.

Opening night Chamber After Hours

Chamber members and tree space sponsors are invited to a one-hour opening reception from 4-5 p.m. on Nov. 17 (which will be our November Chamber After Hours). The general public will be welcomed from 5-8 p.m., as that is our late night.

Midcoast Tree Festival Facebook page updates/hijinks

If you want to engage by volunteering, sponsoring a tree space or donating an item, then the best thing to do is contact me at the chamber office at 725-8797 or cory@midcoastmaine.com. You can also find registration info on the Midcoast Tree Festival page on our chamber website at midcoastmaine.com.

However, if you just want updates on the trees, the event schedules or to see the Elf on the Street videos where we interview kids telling us about their favorite trees, then the Midcoast Tree Festival Facebook page is the place for you. All our newsworthy updates will be there, with the frequency of updates skyrocketing as we get closer to the festival.

Bed Races, baby!

The award-winning MTF bed race team will be back at the BDA’s Bed Races on Nov. 11 to defend our title. Did we win the fastest team award? No. Was I a big reason we didn’t win the fastest team? Absolutely. But anyone can be fast — we’ll be defending our Best Spirit Award, and we challenge all other race teams to try and match our intensity. I hope you come out to cheer on all the teams.

• • •

The Midcoast Tree Festival runs Nov. 17-19, and Nov. 24-26 at St. John’s Community Center in Brunswick. Most days it runs from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; opening night, Nov. 17, is from 4-8 p.m., and closing night, Nov. 26, is from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. (then we draw the winners).

Cory King is executive director of the Bath-Brunswick Regional Chamber of Commerce.

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