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Holiday music plays softly as visitors stroll through Christmas trees embellished with paper chains, hand-painted canvas ornaments, metal cans and more at the Everson Museum of Art. From the outside, the museum is brutalistic, with a tan-colored boxy exterior. But inside, it’s brimming with holiday spirit.

“You walk in and you feel like you’re in a winter wonderland,” Dominic Tricase, the museum’s director of marketing and development, said.

The museum is holding its 39th annual Festival of Trees & Light from Dec. 5-8 and 11-15. The two-week festival includes various locally-sponsored holiday-themed art workshops and performances, as well as a Christmas tree display throughout the museum. All the proceeds help fund exhibitions, learning engagements and outreach.

The entirety of the museum is lined with Christmas trees, each donated by a local business or hand decorated by people with different materials, including a wooden tree and one made out of Christmas lights.

The festival averages over 5,000 visitors each year, Triscase said. Attending the festival has become a tradition for many. It also brings many new attendees to the museum, including locals who were previously unaware of what it offers.

“It’s a great way for us to get to people who may not necessarily be coming here on a daily basis,” Triscase said. “We want people to know, ‘Hey, there’s a museum right in your backyard.’”

Ben Kintish and his wife Cassandra came to the festival looking for an activity to do with their young daughter. It was the family’s first time at the museum. They immediately signed up for a membership when they walked in.

“There’s a lot more going on here than we thought,” Kintish said.

For regulars like Lisa Todzai, it’s heartwarming to see so many people taking advantage of the museum. Todzai, a paralegal, has facilitated art workshops at the festival for the last three years. The museum isn’t usually this busy during the rest of the year, she said, so filling the museum is important.

Art is the heart of the festival. A winter art studio, sponsored by This is CNY, is open each day of the festival for families to participate in holiday-themed art activities such as painting, drawing and pottery. Older participants can visit the museum’s art exhibits or participate in more advanced art workshops, such as mosaic and watercolor classes. Todzai stressed the importance of having a place for art in the community.

“Art is a reflection of our human creativity,” Todzai said. “It is a way for us to express what is nearest and dearest. I think it’s fantastic that the kids are so interested.”

The event also provides many local groups with an opportunity to perform in the museum’s auditorium. The festival includes holiday performances from the Syracuse Pops Chorus, Tawn Marie’s Dance Centre, Baldwinsville High School Orchestra and the Sentinel A Cappella Group, among others.

The museum provides programming for all ages, such as holiday crafts, a “Polar Express” movie night and holiday storytelling for young kids. Parents said they were impressed by the array of events for children.

“I was very surprised when I walked in,” Amira Goldberg said. “I always thought this museum was more of an art museum for adults.”

Museum staff want to provide young adults with festive activities to do with friends or on dates, Tricase said. Events like a stained glass workshop, a charcuterie board making class and an art and wine night cater to an older audience.

Even the children’s events were popular among adults as well. Katie Brietback and Danielle Smith said taking a photo with Mrs. Claus was the highlight of their time at the festival.

“We feel like little kids again,” Brietback said. “We are definitely coming back next year.”

The event doesn’t only celebrate Christmas. Craft making workshops for Hanukkah, Kwanzaa and Diwali are included, as well as general winter-themed activities and performances. Tricase said it was important to the museum to create a holiday event that’s inclusive to all.

“It makes it even more special and allows people to come together during this happy time,” Tricase said. “Everyone has a bit more joy in their step and we’re excited to see it.”

Published on December 12, 2024 at 12:28 am

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