The 12^th annual Festival of Trees to benefit the Boys & Girls Club of Santa Clarita Valley will open Friday to kick-off the holiday season.

Ronda Chobanian, development director of the Boys & Girls Club of Santa Clarita Valley Foundation, decorates a Christmas tree for Festival of Trees. Photo by Michele E. Buttelman.

The Festival will run three days Friday, Saturday and Sunday this weekend (Nov. 14-16) and Friday, Saturday and Sunday (Nov. 21-23).

Festival of Trees will be housed in a warehouse in the Valencia Industrial Center at 24700 Avenue Rockefeller in Valencia. Tickets are available at the door and are $6 each for age 15 and older; $3 for ages 4 to 14 and $4 for seniors age 65+. Children age 3 and under are free.

“This is a new location for us, it is the same location where we had the annual auction in June,” said Ronda Chobanian, development director of the Boys & Girls Club of SCV Foundation.

Festival of Trees is a family-friendly event which features more than 30 elaborately decorated large Christmas trees which are available for purchase, as well as small tabletop trees, holiday wreaths, and charming one-of-a-kind gingerbread houses.

Large trees range in height from six to nine feet and many come with gifts including furniture, event tickets, wine, jewelry and more.

“We have 30,000 square feet with something in every corner and something for every age group,” said Chobanian. “We have a Kids Corner with six different activities for the kids.”

Representatives of Six Flags Magic Mountain decorate their tree which supports the United States military at Festival of Trees, opening Friday, Nov. 14 in Valencia. Photo by Michele E. Buttelman.

The Festival of Trees will feature more than 120 gingerbread houses.

“The gingerbread houses this year are among the best we’ve ever had,” said Gary Condie, Boys & Girls Club of SCV Foundation board member and one of the founders of Festival of Trees in Santa Clarita. “They are some very clever themes this year.”

Chobanian said the Festival of Trees will feature a few unique trees with themes that should prove to be popular with guests.

“We have a ‘Frozen’ tree, a ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’ tree and a ‘Star Wars’ tree this year,” she said. “We also have a ‘Jack Skeleton’ tree and the Six Flags Magic Mountain tree will have the theme, ‘Not All Superheroes Have Capes.’ It is a tribute to the military.”

Brandon Smith, retail department manager for Six Flags Magic Mountain, said it is important to remember members of the United States military.

“We wanted to do something to let the troops know that we are thinking of them, either overseas or wherever they are serving,” he said. “We have real life superheroes working every day to do the things we are not, and it is important to say, ‘We are thinking of you.’”

All four branches of the service are represented with a variety of ornaments on the tree.

Ruben Haynes, of Ruben Haynes Design, has volunteered hundreds of hours to help decorate for Festival of Trees. Photo by Michele E. Buttelman.

“It’s a really beautiful tree and I hope people like it,” Smith said.

Chobanian said the “Restoration Hardware” look is very popular this year.
“It is almost like ‘industrial chic’ with lots of wood and naturals, we have a tree that features that look this year,” she said. “We also have a large number of very traditional Christmas trees. Christmas is tradition and we have new variations on candy canes, Santa Claus, vintage snowmen and other favorites, like reindeer.”

Festival of Trees will feature more than 40 tabletop trees and some festive vignettes, said Chobanian.

Ruben Haines, of Ruben Haynes Designs, has donated hundreds of hours to help decorate trees for the Festival. Among trees he has decorated this year the Restoration Hardware and Santa Claus trees are his favorites.

“I really enjoy the creative process,” Haines said. “Every year there is something new and we’re always working to make it bigger and better.”

Volunteers work to set up a tree for Festival of Trees, open two weekends in Valencia, to benefit the Boys & Girls Club of SCV. Photo by Michele E. Buttelman.

Chobanian said the Festival of Trees will be open six days this year, two weekends, which should give Santa Clarita residents and families many opportunities to visit the Festival at its new location.

“The event benefits the Boys & Girls Club of Santa Clarita Valley and is really a critical part of our yearly fundraising efforts,” said Chobanian. “We really hope that the community comes out and supports us.”

Chobanian said there are special events every day associated with the Festival.

A full schedule for Festival of Trees and a $1 off admission coupon can be found at www.scvbgc.org.

Festival of the Trees, to benefit the Boys & Girls Club of SCV, 24700 Avenue Rockefeller, in the Valencia Industrial Center.

The Festival is open to the public: Friday, Nov. 14, noon to 10 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 15, 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.; Sunday, Nov. 16, noon to 6 p.m. (Santa will be at the Festival all day); Friday, Nov. 21, noon to 4:30 p.m.; Saturday, Nov. 22 10 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.; Sunday, Nov. 23 noon to 6 p.m. (free admission after 4 p.m.).

Special Events (for tickets visit www.scvbgc.org)

Friday, Nov. 14, 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. Jingle Jam Swing – Dancing

Detail of the Six Flags Magic Mountain tree to support the United States military at Festival of Trees. Photo by Michele E. Buttelman.

Saturday, Nov. 15 from 6 p.m. – Holiday Hocus Pocus an Evening of Magic – Part 1

Sunday, Nov. 16 from Noon to 6 p.m. – Photos with Santa. $5 or take your own photo for a suggested donation of $3.

Friday, Nov. 21 from p.m. – Holiday Hocus Pocus an Evening of Magic – Part 2

Saturday, Nov. 22 from 6:30 to 11 p.m. – Magic of the Lights Gala and Tree Auction

Sunday, Nov. 18 from 5 to 7 p.m. – Silent Auction Bidboard Closing.