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Festival of Trees and Lights Brings Cheer to Everson Museum of Art Festival of Trees and Lights Brings Cheer to Everson Museum of Art

By Riley Pratt

An elf statue in a pink hat, holding a round pink ornament, peeks out from its roost in a sparkly Christmas tree.
© 2023 Riley Pratt

SYRACUSE, N.Y. (NCC News) A beloved holiday tradition has returned to Syracuse once more: the Festival of Trees and Lights, an annual two-week celebration of the holiday arts hosted by the Everson Museum of Art. From now until December 16th, the museum will display lovingly crafted Christmas trees, holiday wreaths, and handmade pieces by local artisans.

In addition to these new displays, the festival also features live performances from dancers, bands, choirs, and singers, and workshops where attendees can make their own wreaths, clay snowmen, paintings, menorahs, or popsicle-stick cabins. New this year, Everson is also offering raffle baskets and items up for auction at the festival. The baskets the raffle winners would choose from include themes ranging from wine, get-well-soon, gaming, and kids’ toys. One of the most prized options on the auction block is a Syracuse University-themed Christmas tree,  which comes with a package granting courtside Syracuse University basketball tickets and parking passes to a game next season.

These new elements of the festival–as well as everything else that goes into it–are thanks to the hard work of the Everson Museum Members’ Council, a volunteer group that contributes to the goings-on at the museum. They are the organizers of the Festival of Trees and Lights–and according to their president, Liz Harrick, it can be a year-long effort.

“It can be up to six months of planning,” she said. “It’s so rewarding.”

Shari Merton, the learning and engagement coordinator for the museum, hosts some of the workshops at the museum. She says it’s her pleasure to make the Everson inviting for everyone.

“I want to break boundaries,” she told NCC News. “I’ve always been interested in taking really complex things, things that maybe don’t seem as opening or inviting, and trying to open that up and break down the mystery of it.” 

With the new additions to the festivities and the goal of bringing in as many people as possible to experience the art, the Everson’s as inviting as it’s ever been–appropriate to ring in the most wonderful time of the year. For anyone who wants to see it for themelves, tickets are available on the Everson Museum of Art’s website.

“We think of this event as both a fundraiser and a friend-raiser.”

The 38th annual Festival of Trees and Lights is on! In addition to their art exhibits, the halls of the Everson Museum are decked with wreaths, baskets, and trees to kick off the holiday season. Over a thousand performers have agreed to entertain at the festival, and around 600 pieces donated by local artisans are for sale in the gift shop. But Everson doesn’t just have fun things to see–it has fun things to do. Shari Merton, the museum’s learning and engagment coordinator, puts together workshops for patrons to make the art the see on the walls.

“I’ve always been interested in taking really complex things, things that maybe don’t seem as opening or inviting, and trying to open that up and break down the mystery of it.”

This first day of the festival featured workshops like wreath-weaving, cabin-painting, and snowman-making for the whole family. I couldn’t pass it up. Michelangelo simply cannot compete with this masterpiece.

This year even includes raffle baskets and prizes up for auction, new things that the president of the Everson Museum Member’s Council, Liz Harrick, hopes are unique enough to bring people in.

“What we try to maintain is the tradition of providing lots of trees, lots of wreaths, and lots of entertainment, then every year we try to have something unique.”

It seems the only thing the Everson museum is missing is Santa Claus. But I wouldn’t blame Mr. Kringle–this is his busiest time of year, after all. It could be that he’s still on his way.

But while we wait for the big man to arrive from the North Pole, I figured… he wouldn’t mind if I borrowed his seat for a minute! The Everson trees and lights festival runs until December 16th and is expected to bring holiday cheer to almost 4,000 CNY residents. Reporting for NCC News, I’m Riley Pratt.

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