Our Story

The first annual, inaugural Christmas Tree festival will kick off on Thanksgiving Weekend of Friday November 29th and Saturday November 30th, 2024 from 11:00am - 9:00pm both days.

 

Fraser Fir Trees have been grown in The High Country of western North Carolina since the early 1950s when some farmers tried growing them as an intended crop for Christmas trees and to replace existing farming of cabbages. Avery County, North Carolina is now the Fraser Fir capital of the world.

And finally, the town of Newland will have a Christmas Tree Festival that will honor the strong bond they have to the industry. The overwhelming reaction local Fraser Fir farmers have to the festival is that it is about time.

Some people think that having the festival on the 3rd weekend in October is too early with the timing; that few people would be interested in securing their Christmas tree at the festival and that getting a tree would surely be the top motivating factor to visit Newland. Actually, the timing is close to being perfect for two reasons. First, the tree farmers are unavailable as of November 1st as this is when they begin harvesting their trees for the retail markets spread out all over the country. The second reason to suggest great timing is that there are two other festivals in the area that weekend that historically draw 30,000 tourists, according to the State Police. 30,000 people will be visiting our Avery County, and the other two festivals end their daily operations by 5:00PM. Our Christmas Tree Festival starts gearing up at 5:00PM because our town square will be lined with decorated and lighted trees for a nighttime spectacular.

We will be having competitions between farmers for the best tree in their county, and all county winners will vie for the best tree in the festival. The public will be invited to cast votes for their favorite trees. The Fraser Fir tree headed for the White House that has the honor to be the national tree is being raised by a local farmer, Sam Cartner and that ceremony of that tree leaving Avery County may take place during the festival. Each school district will have their grade school classes compete for the best in their district to compete with the best from the other districts.

There shall be craft vendors as well as food vendors. There will be live music on the stage. There will be a magician’s stage set up with wandering minstrels. There will be a class on how to make a wreath.

Our shuttle bus parking will help ensure traffic flows smoothly throughout the affair.

Our festival will happen every weekend through New Year’s Day.

We invite one and all to be our honored guests to The Newland Christmas Tree Festival, 2024.