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Deck the Stifel Halls With Boughs of Holly! Oglebay Institute Moves Festival Of Trees to Stifel Center

Oglebay Institute Moves Festival Of Trees to Stifel Center

WHEELING — Oglebay Institute is bringing the Festival of Trees home for the holidays, specifically, to its own Stifel mansion.

This year’s event has a new venue — Oglebay Institute’s Stifel Fine Arts Center, located at 1330 National Road — and an extended run — from Thursday through Dec. 1. The festivities coincide with the opening weeks of the institute’s Holiday Art Show and Sale.

Previously, the institute staged the Festival of Trees at Oglebay Park’s Pine Room. The move to the Stifel Center allows the length of the festival to be doubled. In another bonus for area residents, admission is free during Stifel Center’s normal hours of operation.

OI President Danielle McCracken said, “The responses to the change in venue have been very positive. The Stifel Fine Arts Center is a beautiful venue that offers a grand staircase, several mantels and plenty of space for our creative decorators to work their holiday magic.”

For the festival, the Stifel Center is being transformed into a Christmas wonderland of fully-decorated trees, wreaths and garlands decorated by skilled volunteers. All items are for sale and proceeds benefit Oglebay Institute’s arts, cultural and nature programs.

Micah Underwood, OI development director, said, “More than two dozen decorators are contributing more than three dozen items, including 18 trees of various sizes, as well as wreaths, garlands, artwork and birdhouses.”

Visitors also can make purchases at the Holiday Art Show and Sale, a shopping event that opens Thursday and features handcrafted items from dozens of artisans. The show and sale continues through Dec. 29 at the Stifel Center and at Oglebay Institute’s Schrader Environmental Education Center.

McCracken added, “We believe that moving the (trees) event to the Stifel will also drive more traffic and allow festival-goers the opportunity to take advantage of the Holiday Art Show and the many other wonderful programs we traditionally deliver this time of year.”

Underwood concurred, saying, “With the Holiday Art Show and Sale already happening at the Stifel Fine Arts Center, moving Festival of Trees there gave us the opportunity to show off the historic building and give visitors a one-stop shop. There will be so much to see throughout the house, from artisans and craftsmen to the exceptional skill of our decorators.

“Plus, since we’ll be in our own venue, we’ve been able to lengthen the run of the event,” Underwood said. “It will be open a full two weeks to the public, with extended evening hours on weekdays.”

Regarding the other positive change, the development director explained, “Offering free admission during public hours makes the festival accessible for our entire community. People can bring their families and friends and maybe even come back a time or two to finish their holiday shopping.”

Underwood added, “There will be an option to donate at the door, and all donations will go toward supporting arts, nature and culture opportunities here in the Ohio Valley. It was really important to us to keep the Holiday Art Show and Sale, like our other art exhibits throughout the year, free and open to the public. By making Festival of Trees admission free, we are hoping to see more visitors enjoying this unique holiday experience.”

The festival kicks off with a free opening reception from 5-8 p.m. Thursday. From Friday through Dec. 1, the Festival of Trees is open from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday. Stifel Center is closed on Sundays and Thanksgiving Day.

The Festival of Trees is sponsored by Belmont Savings Bank with additional support from Panhandle Cleaning and Restoration. As in past years, Panhandle is providing delivery of purchased trees after the close of the event, Underwood said.

Describing the layout for the pair of events, she said, “Visitors can expect to find the Holiday Art Show and Sale in the two main galleries, upstairs and downstairs, as well as in the Small Space Gallery upstairs.”

Meanwhile, she said trees and other decorated items will be on display throughout the house, including the ballroom, solarium, dining room and library on the first floor and in the second-floor office and classrooms.

“We’ve really taken advantage of the opportunity to deck out the entire Stifel mansion for the season,” Underwood remarked.

Several special events take place during the Festival of Trees. To register for any special events, visit www.oionline.com or call 304-242-4200.

Underwood commented, “Because the holidays appeal to a diverse audience, we’ve planned a variety of special events to engage people in unique ways. Families with little ones will want to be sure to attend the children’s breakfast featuring Bigfoot, and local professionals have numerous opportunities to enjoy the festivities, both at lunch and during happy hour. Of course, the wine tasting is always a hit with adults.”

The schedule of special events is as follows:

∫ OVConnect Traveling Happy Hour — 5-8 p.m. Wednesday. Visitors will get a sneak peek of the two holiday events. Admission includes wine, beer, soft drinks and appetizers.

∫ Opening night reception — 5-8 p.m. Thursday. This event features appetizers, a beer and wine bar and opportunities to shop. Admission is free.

∫ Festival of Trees wine tasting — 7-9 p.m. Saturday. An assortment of wine and food pairings will be offered. Admission is charged, with a reduced price for OI members.

∫ Festival of Trees “Dine & Shop” business and civic clubs luncheon — noon to 1:30 p.m. Nov. 27. The event, featuring a buffet lunch, is open to individuals and groups. Admission is charged; advanced registration is required.

∫ Children’s Breakfast Among the Trees — 9-10:15 a.m. or 10:45 a.m. to noon Dec. 1. The event includes breakfast, a visit from Bigfoot, special guests and themed crafts. Admission is charged, but entrance is free for children age 3 or younger.

Noting that Festival of Trees is a fundraising event for Oglebay Institute, McCracken said the nonprofit organization relies heavily on donations from the community to deliver high-quality programs to approximately 90,000 people each year.

She explained, “While we do charge for some events, we try very hard to keep ticket and registration fees low, so that we can be accessible to people of all economic backgrounds. More than half of our operating budget comes from some sort of contributed income, including funds raised through events like Festival of Trees.”

McCracken said funds support program development and outreach, scholarships, exhibitions, maintenance and care of the Museums of Oglebay Institute’s collection, school programs and maintenance of OI facilities.

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