Local News
Families, volunteers bring holiday magic to Utah’s 55th Festival of Trees
Staff Writer | Lehi Free Press
The Utah Festival of Trees is underway this week, transforming the Mountain America Expo Center in Sandy into a sprawling forest of decorated evergreens, baked goods, and holiday displays—all dedicated to helping children receive medical care they depend on. The annual fundraiser, now in its 55th year, runs through Dec. 6 and remains one of Utah’s most recognizable holiday traditions.
The festival began more than five decades ago as a volunteer-led effort to support Primary Children’s Hospital. What started as a modest charity project has grown into a massive community showcase, with more than 550 trees on display this year. Families, schools, businesses, and civic groups spend months designing and decorating each tree. Many carry the name of a child who has been treated at Primary Children’s or honor a child who died. Some celebrate milestones; others share messages of remembrance and hope.
“There is nothing like the Festival of Trees to begin the holiday season in a fun and meaningful way,” said Dustin Lipson, president of Intermountain Primary Children’s Hospital. “Many items have been lovingly curated, with every detail chosen to honor a Primary Children’s Hospital patient. We’re grateful for the countless donated items and community support that has helped generations of children to heal and thrive at Primary Children’s Hospital for 55 years—and counting.”
Every tree, along with wreaths, centerpieces, quilts, gingerbread houses, and other donated items, is auctioned to raise funds for the hospital. Last year’s festival generated $3.4 million, and organizers expect to surpass that total this season.
The week opened with a silent auction on Dec. 2, where bidders crowded around the displays hoping to win the chance to bring one home. The auction is one of the most anticipated parts of the event, with some trees consistently selling for thousands of dollars. Beyond the auction floor, visitors can stop by the Sweet Shoppe for the festival’s well-known fudge, hot scones, and other treats. Music and dance performances run throughout the building, and children line up for photos with Santa and the Grinch. For many, attending has become a family tradition marking the start of the holiday season.
Even as the festival has grown, it has remained entirely volunteer driven. An 87-member board and hundreds of additional volunteers prepare the event year-round and staff it during the week. Lipson added that the festival’s longevity comes from the people behind it. “The Festival of Trees is presented by Intermountain Foundation—and brought to life by a dedicated, generous, 87-member volunteer board,” he said. “It’s a chance for the community to come together, celebrate the season, and help kids continue to receive the innovative, compassionate, expert care they need to thrive.”
Each year, a Patient Champion is selected to help represent the children whose lives are directly affected by the funds raised. This year’s ambassador, Livie Smart, is encouraging festivalgoers to register as bone marrow donors. For many attendees, meeting a Patient Champion is the most memorable part of their visit—an opportunity to connect the celebration around them with the very real families it supports.
The emotional weight behind the trees is never far from view. Some were decorated by families navigating childhood illness today; others were created in memory of children who have died. Many families describe decorating as a way to share a child’s story. For them, it is also a chance to give back to the hospital that treated them. Visitors walking the aisles encounter displays that are cheerful, elaborate, personal, and often profoundly moving.
The money raised through the Festival of Trees supports Primary Children’s Hospital in its mission to provide pediatric care regardless of a family’s ability to pay. The funds support treatments, services, equipment, and programs that benefit both patients and their families. Organizers emphasize that the festival remains successful because Utahns continue to treat the event not just as holiday entertainment, but as a shared responsibility to care for children in the state and beyond.
Tickets are available at the expo center or at FestivalofTreesUtah.org. Admission includes access to all displays, live performances, and the holiday market. Whether visitors arrive to admire the craftsmanship, enjoy the food, or support a cause that has touched someone they love, organizers say the community’s support makes a direct and lasting difference.
The Festival of Trees runs through Friday. When the lights dim and the decorations come down, the dollars raised will continue working—funding care for children whose families are facing some of their hardest days.
