Paramount's 'Festival of Trees' set for Saturday
Toolbox
By STEPHANIE M. PETERS Herald Staff - Published: December 1, 2008
If you've yet to trim that tree or brave the stores for holiday shopping, fret not.
The Paramount Theatre is offering one solution to both problems on Saturday, with a side of food, company and holiday cheer to boot.
The theater kicks of its holiday season Saturday evening with its sixth annual "Festival of Trees" — an event focused around live and silent auctions. Up for bid will be more than 100 donated items ranging from jewelry and sports memorabilia to the more exotic, including lessons and the opportunity to drag race a Corvette at the Lebanon Valley Dragway, as well as the trees that are the namesake of the event.
As has become tradition, each year area businesses agree to test their creativity by decorating artificial trees for a judged competition that yields some unique creations.
The event is the Paramount's most important fundraising effort of the year. With hefty operation costs, including a $45,000 heating bill this year, the theater is reliant on the support of the community — but doesn't want to receive without giving, too, according to Eric Mallette, the theater's assistant director.
"It's a very trying time for nonprofits of any sort," he said. "To have a program like this one, that's traditionally our most successful, is great because it's not just us knocking on the door asking for money, which people have been so gracious to help out with. With the auction, they're getting something back in return and it's a nice way for people to help us while we do something for them."
The evening starts at 6 p.m. with an hour of mingling, light hors d'oeuvres and a cash bar. Attendees will be able to get a close-up glimpse of the 20 or so trees, this year decorated by companies including Vermont Country Store, Central Vermont Property Valuations, Walmart and Omya. Prior to Saturday, the theater's full board of directors will judge the entrants to determine the top 10. Those trees will be placed in the live auction, while the rest will be available for purchase in the silent auction that will be going on throughout the night.
This year attendees can expect to see trees decorated in the themes of football, nutcrackers, Christmas past, snowflakes, the New York Yankees and nature. Some of the early eye-catchers include a tree decorated entirely in pink and white to signify breast cancer awareness and another by Freeman Marcus with a vintage and costume jewelry theme. As part of their entry, Freeman Marcus has also donated a vintage pin featuring 14-carat gold and diamonds that dates to the late 1800s, according to Laurie Mecier, president of the Board of Directors.
"There's really a variety in the trees," Mecier said, "which makes it really neat to see everybody's ideas put together."
This year's list of goods donated for auction also features what are likely to be coveted prizes, including seven-day vacations to Las Vegas, Florida and Cape Cod; season ski passes; boat tours of Lake Bomoseen; and a Robert Cray autographed guitar.
Sports lovers are also in luck. They will have their choice of a variety of autographed sports memorabilia as well as Bruins tickets and two sets of Celtics tickets — one on the floor adjacent to the press table — complete with limousine transportation.
The art community is also represented with paintings by Warren Kimball and Judith Carbine.
"There's just a little bit of everything," Mecier said. "We're really lucky because we have so many area businesses that donate to this."
Also helping out are a group of about six student ambassadors from local high schools who will cook dinner for some lucky winners. The group has also enlisted a string quartet made up of a few classmates to provide musical entertainment as part of the prize, according to Mecier.
The live auction of about 75 items begins at 7 p.m. and will be conducted by local auctioneer Bob Prozzo, while the silent auction will be run throughout the evening.
Tickets are $10 and can be purchased at the door.
Contact Stephanie M. Peters at stephanie.peters@rutlandherald.com.
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