2021 Lawrence Festival of Trees

Frequently asked questions

When and where is the 2021 Festival of Trees?

The 2021 Lawrence Festival of Trees will be held Monday, 11/29/2020 through Sunday, 12/5/2020 at Liberty Hall, 644 Massachusetts Street. Viewing hours will be announced soon. Reservations will be required for viewing hours due to COVID-19 community mitigation strategies, and we will make the reservation process as simple and accessible as possible! More information will be available closer to the event. The suggested donation for admission remains $5 for adults and children over 12 years old. We will also share videos and pics on our Facebook page. Instead of our usual auction gala, the trees and wreaths will be sold by silent online auction. You can find the auction at lawrencefot.givesmart.com! Bidding ends Friday, 12/4/20 at 8 PM.



How is the Festival of Trees responding to the COVID-19 pandemic?

We are taking guidance from Lawrence-Douglas County Public Health for all aspects of this year's Festival, from setup day to delivery day and everything in between. 1. Public viewing times will be by reservation only, in order to allow for social distancing 2. All attendees and volunteers will be asked to wear masks 3. Attendees may have a temperature check done when arriving at Liberty Hall 4. Surfaces will be sanitized routinely throughout the day 5. Instead of hosting a large in-person auction party, our trees and wreaths will be sold by silent online auction We will provide updates here and on our Festival Facebook page as more detailed plans become available.



How do I bid on trees and wreaths?

Go to our online auction site where you can see the trees and wreaths, place bids and make donations. Sign in is NOT required to view our auction items, in order to bid you'll need to register as a user on GiveSmart. See how to register and bid On the Items page, click on any item for the description page, which includes more photos, videos, the title and a narrative written by the creators. Place your bids on the description pages - you may be able to set an auto bid or use a "Buy It Now" option, depending on the item.



Where can I see the trees and wreaths?

See the wreaths and trees live and in person at Liberty Hall, 644 Massachusetts Street in downtown Lawrence! Viewing hours are 10 AM to 8 PM Monday through Thursday, 10 AM to 4 PM on Friday and Saturday, and 10 AM to 2 PM Sunday. Please sign up for a viewing hours timeslot here. You can view the trees and wreaths online on our GiveSmart auction site, our Facebook page, and our Instagram account. Sign in is NOT required to view our auction items, but in order to bid you'll need to register as a user on GiveSmart. On the Items page, click on any item for the description page, which includes more photos, videos, the title and a narrative written by the creators.



I was the winning bidder! How and when do I get my tree or wreath?

Congratulations! Bidding ends Friday, 12/4/20 at 8 PM, but the trees and wreaths are on display until Sunday, 12/6 at 2 PM. We will call, email and text all winning bidders about their payment options as well as pickup and delivery options. Wreaths should be picked up at Liberty Hall on Sunday, 12/6 from 2:30 PM - 6 PM, or on Monday, 12/7 from 8 AM to noon. Trees will be delivered on Monday, 12/7 OR tree buyers may choose to pick their trees up themselves at Liberty Hall on Sunday from 2:30 PM - 6 PM. We will be doing "porch delivery" this year, so our volunteers will not be entering buyers' homes with their trees. We will contact all tree buyers on Saturday, 12/5/20 to get delivery details.



How do I pay for my auction item or Buy It Now item or Mitten Tree item?

We will contact auction winners and donors after the auction closes, by text and email, with information about the payment process and pickup/delivery of items. You may also email festival@theshelterinc.org with any questions! Here's some info about checking out on GiveSmart: When the auction is closed, you can go to your Pay page on GiveSmart to review your purchase summary. Please review carefully, If you would like to pay with a credit card, you may do so on your Pay page. If you would like to use another form of payment, we will need to process your checkout for you. Please watch your texts and email for information about checking out with check or cash payments. If paying by credit card, you will have the option to pay the 3.5% credit card processing fee, ensuring more money goes to The Children's Shelter. You will need to check the "I will pay the fees" box, and the amount of the fees will appear on your order summary.