A Story the Times never stopped telling
Some traditions survive because someone cared enough to tell their story. Festival of Trees is one of those traditions. For 40 years, the Quad-City Times has carried the festival from a single idea into a community hallmark.
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When the Quad-City Times became society's must-read newspaper
From the start, it was dazzling, unexpected and embraced. But it wasn't only the event itself that made an impact — it was how the Quad-City Times told its story. That storytelling transformed the festival from a promising debut into an enduring cultural tradition.
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It was 1986
In the midst of a major national economic recession, Quad City Arts and its volunteers rose to rally around the first annual premier holiday kick-off event — Festival of Trees. What was to be a celebration of joy turned into a celebration of a life well-lived.
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When women built the first night of magic
In 1986, Festival of Trees lit up the RiverCenter for the very first time. But before a single ribbon was tied, it needed credibility — people who could turn an idea into a must-attend community tradition.
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When trees became stages
In the early years of Festival of Trees, the decorated trees weren't just displays — they were trophies. Nearly 40 years later, that same spirit of artistry still drives the festival.
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Festival of Trees through a child's eyes
For the 2008 Festival of Trees, the North Pole organizers unveiled a winter wonderland. That year, a letter arrived at the Quad-City Times — written by a 6-year-old who hoped her poem would reach Santa by Christmas Eve.
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She knows where all the trees are buried
After 40 years of ribbons, deadlines and designer drama, Festival of Trees veteran Pat Wohlford still runs the show. The Cultural Trust interviewed the Designer Chair and asked her 40 questions in honor of 40 years of Festival of Trees.
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Festival as community stage
For 40 years, Festival of Trees has given so many the courage to face their fears, prove they could do it, hear the roar of applause and keep going. And behind every performer, there's a parent — tired, proud and endlessly grateful that this community still makes space for creativity to take the stage.
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The parade that took Festival of Trees to the streets
Downtown Davenport woke up to a new kind of magic on Nov. 21, 1992. For the first time, the Quad City Arts Festival of Trees had broken out of the RiverCenter and spilled into the streets of Davenport. Thanks to that bold decision, nearly every year since 1992, the Festival of Trees Parade has marked the start of the holiday season for thousands.
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The value of joy
You can't put a price tag on the feeling of a child taking a bow. But you can measure what happens next. Every performance, every act of shared celebration, creates a ripple. That's how community grows: through moments that move us first, then move the economy.
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The economics of holiday cheer
It began in 1986 with a simple idea: If joy could fill the streets, prosperity would follow. Festival of Trees proves what The Cultural Trust practices year-round: Art and culture aren't just good for the soul — they're a serious economic driver.
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The gift that lasts forever
A while ago, a Quad Cities family fell on hard times. There would be no gifts that Christmas. Not even a tree. Maud — a young girl who visited the Festival of Trees decades ago and received a single gift from Santa. That gift became her family's symbol of hope.
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The Joy Business
They weren't performers by trade, but for one day each year, they transformed into something unforgettable. Business leaders, bankers, teachers, parents — the people you'd see in suits or meetings any other day — were suddenly unrecognizable. They were the clowns. The beloved, bumbling, joy-bringing faces of Festival of Trees.
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40 cheers for the elves
In the Quad Cities, the term "elf" takes many forms during Festival of Trees season. So here's to the elves — past, present and still to come. May their spirit always outlast the glitter.
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Cookies and hot dogs and brews, oh my!
Partnerships and collaboration are like tides — they lift all boats. The Cultural Trust relies on those partnerships to lift arts and culture opportunities to all Quad Citizens, not just a few. The trust's Legacy Partners are exactly that — partners in delivering a shared legacy of cultural excellence in perpetuity.
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Santa Mike and the Santamobile That Stayed
Every community has its legends — and for nearly 40 years, the Quad Cities had Santa Mike. Discover the story of one man whose holiday spirit became a lasting symbol of community and love.
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The beloved train that could
You can hear it before you see it — the faint whistle, the hum of the tracks, the sparkle in every child's eyes. For nearly 30 years, the Festival Express has circled joy inside the Festival of Trees, bringing wonder to generations of families. Built and lovingly maintained by the engineers at IMEG.
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Karen's kind of Christmas
Before there were parades, light tunnels, and record-breaking crowds, there was Karen Getz — red blazer pressed, clipboard in hand, and a smile bright enough to power the RiverCenter itself. For nearly two decades, Karen's leadership and vision transformed Festival of Trees into the beloved community tradition we know today.
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The business of belonging
From family businesses like Necker's Jewelers to global leaders like John Deere, and countless local partners in between — each one helps keep our region's cultural heartbeat strong. Discover why collaboration, not competition, makes our community grow brighter every season.
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The Secret Ingredient
From the earliest festivals to today's thriving arts scene, collaboration has always been the recipe for success — and the reason culture continues to rise in the Quad Cities. Check out what secret ingredient it takes to create some of the most treasured holiday events here in the Quad Cities.
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The birth of The Cultural Trust
Years ago, a group of visionary leaders dared to find the answer — and their solution reshaped our region forever. They built The Quad Cities Cultural Trust, a one-of-a-kind investment that ensures creativity, connection, and culture continue to thrive for generations to come.
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10 traits of a Culture Champion
Culture: The arts and other manifestations of the human intellect. Champion: A person who surpasses all rivals. Culture Champion: A person who surpasses all others in pursuit of the arts.
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What makes a Culture Champion?
They're the dreamers, doers, and believers who show up — for the arts, for each other, and for the Quad Cities. Being a Culture Champion isn't just about attending an event — it's about fueling a movement. It's what happens when art becomes action, and community becomes culture.
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The Culture Bright effect
Culture Bright: The Signal That Something Unforgettable Is About to Happen. When you see Culture Bright, pay attention — something extraordinary is coming. From Festival of Trees to Riverfront Pops and Winter Lights, this spark is transforming the Quad Cities into a year-round celebration of creativity.
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Back to the festival: A time-traveler's journey through 40 years of trees, tradition and community
Take a time-traveling ride through the moments that built one of the Quad Cities' most beloved traditions — Festival of Trees. From the first sparkling trees in 1986… to parades that stopped traffic… to Hollywood stars, community heroes, and more than 100,000 guests returning year after year.
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From 'Making Spirits Bright' to 'Tinsel and Tradition'
Every great Festival of Trees moment starts with a theme — a tiny phrase that sets the tone for an entire season. From Making Spirits Bright to Tinsel & Tradition, today's story reveals how those themes became a creative language all their own.
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Home of the holidays: The RiverCenter's 40-year tradition of excellence
For four decades, the RiverCenter hasn't just hosted Quad City Arts' Festival of Trees — it has defined it. This iconic Davenport venue has been the backdrop for our biggest memories, brightest moments and most magical holiday traditions.
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Family Trees
Festival of Trees isn't just a holiday event — it's a family tradition passed down through generations in the Quad Cities. Meet the families who prove that Festival of Trees isn't just an event… it's a tradition that binds us, shapes us and brings the entire region together year after year.
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A Vibrant Community Takes Cultural Vitamins
Explore the "essential nutrients" that keep the Quad Cities vibrant: music that moves us, art that inspires us, stories that shape us, and design that surrounds us.
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Scenes of the Season
Learn about the unexpected ways Festival of Trees shows up in our lives — in paintings, in memories, and in the quiet moments that define the holidays in the Quad Cities.
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Lunch with legends: The art of celebration
The day before Thanksgiving, the Quad Cities transforms — suits become aprons, leaders become servers, and laughter becomes the soundtrack of Festival week. Today's story reveals the magic behind the Festival of Trees Celebrity Lunch, the most joyful half-day holiday in town.
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The heart of hospitality
Learn about the magic that turns Festival of Trees into the Quad Cities' most powerful hospitality engine — fueling local businesses, lifting our economy, and transforming an entire region into the warmest welcome of the season.
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The art of welcome: Where hospitality becomes heritage — and Culture Champions make it happen
Learn about the places and people who turn hospitality into heritage — from Hotel Blackhawk's open doors to The Tangled Wood's "Tinsel and Tradition" creations.
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Architects of joy
The real architects of joy — the servant leaders whose quiet strength, collaboration, and heart make community celebrations shine year after year. This is the story of the leadership you feel even if you never see it. These are the Culture Champions who make the impossible look effortless.
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40 years, brighter than ever
Festival of Trees turns 40 — and instead of slowing down, it's going bigger, bolder, brighter than ever. Learn about the bold new vision powering the holiday magic. New partners. New experiences. New reasons to believe the next 40 years will be even brighter than the first.
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Porches of the Quad Cities
Linda Bowers, the chair of The Cultural Trust Board of Trustees, wrote a love letter to one of the most overlooked but iconic symbols of Midwestern life: the front porch. This story captures why porches — like traditions — are making a comeback.
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Legacy in motion
Our six Legacy Partners and the trustees behind The Cultural Trust are the quiet architects shaping the Quad Cities' creative future — from music and museums to science, nature, art, and community connection. If you've ever wondered what truly powers our cultural ecosystem… this story is the answer.
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Festival at 40 — and the next 40
As this year's festival comes to a close, we're celebrating the people, partners, and purpose behind a legacy that continues to grow brighter. Take a moment to revisit the story of how Festival began, how it has evolved, and where the next 40 years will take us.
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Thank you to our Culture Champions for an incredible Culture Bright season
A message of gratitude for the Culture Champions during our Culture Bright season.
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Culture Bright – Holiday Event Series Recap 2025
Culture Bright Week — this year, it was unlike anything the Quad Cities has ever seen. Jen Lewis-Snyder, President and CEO of The Cultural Trust, recaps a week that proved something big: Culture Bright isn't an event — it's a movement. And this year, it set the stage for where the Quad Cities is headed next.
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Stay tuned and celebrate with us as we honor four decades of creativity, community, and cheer!
