Victoria Festival of Trees
November 25, 2010 - January 4, 2011
Fairmont Empress Hotel, Victoria, BC

The Festival of Trees transforms the halls of the Fairmont Empress Hotel into a festive collection of imaginative Christmas trees decorated by local businesses, organizations and individuals.  The 19th annual event kicks off November 25, 2010 with a decorating gala. 

The Festival of Trees is open to the public who are encouraged to cast a ballot for their favourite tree.  Thousands of Festival visitors cast a vote each year; with each vote they are entered into a draw for the People's Choice Award Citizen Prize.  Last year the event received over 12,000 votes.

Please click here to review the Festival Package and contact our office at 250-479-1503 if you have any questions.

The Festival of Trees was created to help raise funds to support excellence and innovation in care, treatment and research at BC Children's Hospital.  Supporters of the Festival of Trees have helped thousands of children who have benefited through research, educational programs and the purchase of vital life-saving equipment.  In 2009, 2,722 Vancouver Island children were treated at BC Children's Hospital a total of 7,236 times.

We hope you will take part in the 2010 Festival of Trees and help us to put smiles back where they belong.

The 18th annual Victoria Festival of Trees proved to be the biggest and best yet as the annual event raised a record $106,221 to support the urgent needs of BC Children's Hospital.

Over the seven weeks of the Festival, more than 12,800 votes were cast for the 65 beautifully decorated trees displayed throughout the Fairmont Empress Hotel. Based on those votes, we are pleased to announce that the winner of the prestigious People's Choice Award is the Mayfair Optometric Clinic!

The top 10 People's Choice Award votes went to:

• 1. Mayfair Optometric Clinic 
• 2. Kinetic Construction/Flynn Canada
• 3. Canadian Home Builders Assoc. - Victoria
• 4. Friends of Ryder
• 5. Atomic Crayon
• 6. Shaw Cable
• 7. Choices Adoption/Buddies Toy Store
• 8. The Naughty Dogge
• 9. Super Nurses for Super Heros
• 10. 98.5 The Ocean

The winner of the People’s Choice Award Citizen Prize is Kira Hewitt of Victoria, BC.

Our Sponsors and Supporters

BC Children’s Hospital Foundation would like to thank the generous staff of the Fairmont Empress Hotel who support the hospital so passionately. The event would not have happened without their hardworking team.

The success of the event can also be credited to several important friends of the Foundation: 

• Andrew Duffy (Chair), Liz Butterfield, Kyla Hewlett, Dale Campbell and Ron Cooley of the 2009 Festival of Trees Planning Committee;
• Kristine George for helping to coordinate our Judges on the night of the event;
• Our Kick-Off Night Judges: Kimberley Fenlon, Capt. Jack Sparrow, Denise Pearson, Michael Forbes, Lisa Marshall, Jeff King, Dana Hutchings, Dylan Willows, Jason Lamb and Jack Knox;
• Santa for making a special guest appearance at the Festival of Trees Kick-Off Reception;
• Michelle Hayes, Volunteer Coordinator;
• Jeff Parker, Mai Lai and the many other staff at The Fairmont Empress who put in countless hours to ensure the event was a success;
• The BMO employees from the Oak St. Branch who helped us to process the donations cast by Festival visitors;
• The Festival media partners and Atomic Crayon for helping to share the story of the Festival of Trees; 
• Michael and Laura of Michael Tourigny Photography who were our event photographers;
• Walt Nicholson for providing his Emcee services at the Festival of Trees Kick Off;
• Canamera Refrigerated Transport, Thrifty Foods and The Fairmont Empress for providing the amazing food at the Decorating Reception.

If you would like information on the Festival of Trees, please contact Rod  Smith at 250-380-1528 or rsmith@bcchf.ca.