More than 35,000 people attended Memorial’s 27th annual Festival of Trees, which raised $359,115 to fund health-related projects and programs at Memorial Health System and in the Springfield community.

The family-friendly event continues to be a success because of the support of generous sponsors, talented designers, dedicated committee members and more than 1,000 volunteers who staff the nine-day event, said Amanda Johnson, event manager of the Memorial Medical Center Foundation.

“I am thrilled with the results of Memorial’s 2016 Festival of Trees. Not only did we set a record in how much we raised, but we saw an increase in sponsorships, our designers created hundreds of unique items for attendees to enjoy, and our volunteers gave their time to help everything run smoothly,” Johnson said. “I love that the festival has become a tradition for people throughout central Illinois. They come out year after year to enjoy the beautifully designed items, hear talented performers and get into the holiday spirit while helping raise money for healthcare grants the Memorial Medical Center Foundation awards each spring.”

Memorial's Festival of Trees began in 1989 to benefit the mission of Memorial Medical Center. Since then, the festival has raised more than $4.6 million. Proceeds from Memorial’s Festival of Trees are used to fund grants focused on education, research, technology and patient care.

The 28th annual Festival of Trees will be Nov. 18-26. The Gala will be Saturday, Nov. 11. Stephanie Kent is the chair. The theme will be “Skates, Sleds and Snow,” and the colors will be blue, white and brown.