Estimated reading time: 2 minutes

The Festival of Trees & Lights is celebrating 30 years of sharing holiday cheer and raising funds for technology and exceptional care at Norton Children’s Hospital. To help you get the most out of your visit, we’ve collected some insider tips.

Make time for what matters

• Plan to attend Friday during the day or early mornings on the weekend for smaller crowds and better selection.
• The best value is Festival Family Night on Friday. There are characters in costume, including photos with Santa, free holiday crafts and entertainment and a fireworks show with free hot chocolate and cider.
• Buy tickets online to avoid the line, and save! For online purchases only, you get one free ticket with an adult ticket purchase.

Check your (to-do) list twice!

• Buy your holiday décor and gifts at Festival of Trees & Lights.
• Take advantage of the décor and photo opportunities to finish your Christmas cards early. The pictures with Santa area is precious.
• Make your annual charitable giving contribution at the Festival of Trees & Lights. Purchases benefit Norton Children’s Hospital.

A little elf suggests …

• Skip the stroller and bring a bag. The aisles are wide, but not when the event is full of people. Put the baby in a carrier and leave the stroller in the car. Use a shopping bag to hold all the crafts and giveaways the kids collect.
• Ask to get the children’s crafts bagged to take home. That’s especially helpful if your child is young or has special needs.
• The event program has coupons and special offers inside, so it’s worth looking through.