Officials with the Grande Prairie Hospital Foundation have announced that the annual Festival of Trees will be cut short in 2020 after a new string of COVID-19 related restrictions were announced by the province.
Despite putting together the event like a tradeshow, and thoroughly abiding by Alberta Health Services regulations and recommendations, the doors to the annual fundraiser will close on Thursday night.
“It was our goal to launch the festival and launch the holiday season for our community, and we think we’ve done that,” says Grande Prairie Regional Hospital Foundation Communications Officer Nicole McDonald.
“We really prepared ahead of time knowing this might happen with virtual tours and different online options that allow us to continue fundraising even after our doors get closed.”
Anyone who has purchased tickets for Friday, Saturday, or Sunday will be contacted with an offer for a different time to visit or a refund if you wish.
McDonald adds despite not being able to celebrate in person, those who want to take in the sights of the 2020 Festival of Trees can still do so online, as they’ve launched a virtual tour of the event through various social media platforms.