The Christmas Tree Fantasy is more than a wonderland
BLACKFOOT, Idaho (KIFI) - The Christmas Tree Fantasy in Blackfoot opened Wednesday morning and is helping to bring not just the Christmas spirit to its visitors but the kid inside all of us. The Needlecraft building at the Bingham County Fairgrounds hosts the more than 20 different trees for people to see.
One of the visitors says it may help inspire this years home decorations.
"No matter how we come, if we come, if I come with my family or my friends, it's just a fun place to be at Christmas time. Lots of new ideas and clever ways to decorate. You know that I'd never dream of in a million years," Kaye Jensen said.
Jensen came with some of her friends to see the trees after the festival opened. She says its a must see every year.
"The trees are so clever and so fun to see that this is one of my favorite things to do every Christmas season."
She adds one tree in particular is reminding her of her grandkids.
"I think of all my grandkids and they would just have a fit looking at all these kids, snowmen and everything, you know, that probably would be one of their favorite trees if my grandkids were with me. So walls would be, you know, and I'm still a kid at heart."
But this winter wonderland is more than a forest of decorated Christmas trees.
"The Christmas tree fantasy has been around for about 42 years. It's a fund raising event that we the money that we get from our trees that are auctioned off goes to the nonprofits and 501(c)(3)s in Bingham County," Christmas Tree Fantasy board chairperson Marsha Delaney said.
Delaney says last year the tree fantasy raised more than $26,000 for the local area nonprofits. She says they would like to go above that this year.
"We're hoping to top last year. We did very well last year and the process is after we collect all the monies from our auction, we put it out to the communities around in Bingham County."
The trees are on display in the needlecraft building at the East Idaho Fair Grounds in Blackfoot at 97 Park St, Blackfoot, ID 83221. They open every day at 10 a.m. and close at 8 p.m. Saturday they will close at 2 p.m.
Delaney says there's fun to be had for the whole family as the festival will host different entertainments and smaller events in conjunction with the festival.
