December 13, 2019
Edison and Ford Winter Estates Children’s Tree Trail Winners Announced
Alliance for the Arts Gallery Director, Ehren Gerhard, helped judge the decorated trees in the Edison and Ford Winter Estates Children’s Tree Trail.
FORT MYERS, Fla. (December 13, 2019) — Nearly 60 local schools are participating in the 13th annual Edison and Ford Winter Estates Children’s Tree Trail, a community art exhibit that runs during Holiday Nights. Students at each school created ornaments from recycled materials, building on the central theme of “River Reflections.”
Alliance for the Arts Gallery Director, Ehren Gerhard, helped judge the decorated trees, selecting winners for a variety of categories:
- Best of Show: St. Andrews Catholic, Angel Sculpture
- Best Overall Theme: Harns Marsh Middle, Mermaid/Merman Tree
- Most Colorful: Rayma C. Page Elementary, Bottle Streamers
- Best Star: Estero High School, Fishing Santa
- Best Ornaments: North Fort Myers Academy for the Arts, Assorted Puffer and Angler Fish; Mariner High School, Paper Mâché Eggs; Weaver Hipps Elementary, Paper Mâché Manatees; Cypress Lakes Middle, Found Objects, Paper Mâché Buoys, Woven Tapestries
- Best Garland: Oak Hammock Middle, Can Tabs
- Most Creative Use of Materials: St. Francis Xavier, Bottle Caps, Pipe Cleaners and Bead Garland, Epoxy Painted Lids
The Children’s Tree Trail is sponsored by Storm Smart. The sponsorship provides stipends to local schools for art supplies that children use to make ornaments.
“Storm Smart is honored to partner with the Estates and help make the Children’s Tree Trail possible,” said Brian Rist, Storm Smart Executive Chairman. “I am happy to support the teachers and students from the participating Lee County schools and am looking forward to seeing all of the handmade ornaments that the kids made.”
Visitors can walk through the Children’s Tree Trail for free, or tour the remainder of the site included with general admission. Through December 30, guided Holiday Tradition Tours will be offered at 6 and 7 p.m. every night and Inside-the-Homes Holiday Tours will be offered on Wednesdays at 6:30 p.m. The museum and the botanic research laboratory will be open nightly until 9 p.m. Live music performances include carolers and a pianist on select nights. Santa will be visiting on Sunday nights until Christmas.
Holiday Nights tickets for adults are $20, teens (13-19) $10, children (6-12) are $2 and Edison Ford members get in free. Guided Holiday Tradition Tours are $30 for adults, teens are $25, children $18 and $10 for Edison Ford members. Inside-the-Homes Holiday Tours are $50. Lee County residents with identification will receive $5 off Holiday Nights admission every Monday and Tuesday.
To purchase tickets or view the nightly schedule, visit our website.
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