Museum announces Festival of Trees winners

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A collection of classic children’s Golden Books adorned the delightful tree of Paulding County Carnegie Library, which won the award for the tree that best followed this year’s theme, “A Story Book Christmas.” The Festival of Trees featured about 80 trees uniquely decorated for the holidays.

The John Paulding Historical Society has named the winners of its recent Festival of Trees and the dates and theme for next year’s event.

The annual Festival of Trees ran Nov. 3-11 with more than 1,500 people attending.

The Paulding County Carnegie Library won the prize for the tree most closely following the theme, “A Story Book Christmas.” Their tree was decorated with a collection of classic Golden Books for children.

The group Latty Friends & Neighbors decorated the Latty Depot area in the historical society’s Barn 2. Festival of Trees visitors voted the group’s display as favorite in the adult category. Paulding FFA won favorite in the youth category.

The trees that won for most “votes” for favorite tree by placing money in the jars were the Latty Friends & Neighbors in the adult category, and Paulding FFA in the youth category.

This year, a group of judges selected their favorite trees. First place was Kristy Bidlack’s Elf Tree in Barn 1. Eileen Kochensparger’s Moose-themed room and tree placed second, and Paulding Progress placed third.

Kristy Bidlack’s Elf Tree won a prize at the John Paulding Historical Society’s Festival of Trees. She created the display in memory of Connie Luckeydoo, using her late friend’s collection of more than 150 elves.

Winner of the annual Weidenhamer/Borkosky OSU Raffle was Paulette Beckman.

Ryleigh McGarvey from Payne Elementary School won first place in the second annual sixth grade essay contest, “What Christmas Means to Me.” School winners were Lylah Schlueter, Paulding Elementary; Ross Carter, Divine Mercy School; Jocelyn Mabis, Grover Hill Elementary; and Adalynn Ordway, Oakwood Elementary.

Historical society secretary Eileen Kochensparger introduces Ryleigh McGarvey, winner of the Festival of Trees sixth grade essay contest.

The event was another huge success this year, thanks to the tree decorators, silent auction donors and bidders, meal sponsors, entertainers, visitors, and the many volunteers who decorated the museum’s three buildings. This is the historical society’s largest fundraiser of the year.

Festival sponsors this year were R&K Brady Corp., MTJ Farms, Reuben Smith American Legion Post, Antwerp Exchange Bank, Haviland Drainage, Roberts Manufacturing, Pete Schlegel, Norman and Myrna Cook, Linda Troyer and Karen Cooper.

The Festival of Trees committee has chosen dates and a theme for 2024. Next year’s event will be November 8-16 with the theme “Let’s Trim the Tree.”

The historical society welcomes anyone interested in decorating a tree, helping to decorate the buildings, sponsoring a meal or providing musical entertainment.

The next public event is a general meeting at 2:00 p.m. Tuesday, November 28, with guest Carol Razo, who will discuss plans for Crane Township’s bicentennial in 2025.

The museum will be open Tuesdays through December 12, then close for two months for a winter break. The museum will reopen to the public Tuesday, February 20.