Museum names Festival of Trees winners

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The group Latty Friends & Neighbors decorated the Latty Depot area in the museum’s Barn 2. Festival of Trees visitors voted the group’s display as favorite in the adult category.

The Paulding County History Museum 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. 8-16 with nearly 2,900 people attending.

The Bargain Bin won the prize for the tree most closely following the theme, “Let’s Trim the Tree!” Their spectacular “purple tree” was entirely decorated in shades of purple and violet with splashes of white. They donated the ornaments to sell to the highest bidder in the silent auction.

Festival co-chairman Michelle Stanford created this Christmas tree from newspapers, earning her a ribbon for Most Unique Tree.

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 Wayne Trace senior Aiden Lee for Paulding Area Chamber of Commerce in the youth category.

This year, judges selected their favorite trees in addition to the winners. The Paulding Progress tree, created entirely of newspapers by Michelle Stanford, received a blue ribbon for Most Unique Tree. A blue ribbon for Most Lovely Tree went to the Smith Family of Antwerp. Their delightful tree shimmered in silver and gold with touches of soft blue.

The festival showcased 101 decorated Christmas trees, possibly the most ever since the annual holiday event started in the early 1990s. It became known as the Festival of Trees in 2002.

Elizabeth Miller and Michelle Stanford co-chaired the festival. 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 museum’s largest event and largest fundraiser of the year. 

Aiden Lee, a senior at Wayne Trace, designed this tree for the Paulding Area Chamber of Commerce. Festivalgoers his tree best in the youth category.

Top festival sponsors this year were Holcim and VFW Post 587 of Paulding.

Paulding Fraternal Order of Eagles and Thrivent also were sponsors, in addition to Schlatter’s Plumbing Heating and Air, Paulding VFW Auxiliary, Paulding Progress, Van Wert Vision, First Presbyterian Church, Paulding County Master Gardeners, Scott Equity Exchange, Lisa McClure, Village Apothecary and Shisler Insurance.

The Festival of Trees committee has chosen dates and a theme for 2025. Next year’s event will be November 14-22 with the theme “Sparkle and Shine.” The tea and preview night will be Saturday, November 8.

The Bargain Bin won the Festival of Trees prize for most closely following the theme with their display in purples and white (at left).

The museum welcomes anyone interested in decorating a tree, helping to decorate the buildings, sponsoring a meal or providing musical entertainment. For more information, email the museum at jphs45879@yahoo.com.

This tree, decorated by the Smith Family of Antwerp, received a blue ribbon for Most Lovely Tree.

The museum will be open Tuesdays through December 10, then close for two months for a winter break. The museum will reopen to the public Tuesday, February 18. The annual membership meeting, open to the public, will be Sunday, February 23. Look for announcements and updates on their Facebook page at facebook.com/jphsmuseum.