More than 32,000 people attended Memorial’s 30th anniversary Festival of Trees, which raised $401,304 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 for the Memorial Medical Center Foundation.

“We are thrilled with the results of Memorial’s 2019 Festival of Trees,” Johnson said. “Not only did we set a record in how much we raised, we also saw an increase in sponsorships and we had a wait list for our design opportunities. The festival has become a tradition in many ways for people throughout central Illinois. They volunteer, they perform on the entertainment stage and they come out to enjoy the beautifully designed items and get into the holiday spirit. All the while helping us raise money for grants the 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 $5.5 million. Proceeds from Memorial’s Festival of Trees are used to fund grants focused on education, research, technology and patient care.

The 31st annual Festival of Trees will be Nov. 21-29. The Gala will be Saturday, Nov. 14. The theme will be “Bling in the Season,” and the chair is Jaylene Epperson.