St Mary’s Christmas Tree Festival is returning this year. From Sunday November 30 to Saturday December 20, the church will be packed with Christmas trees, each one decorated by people, businesses and organisations from Rye.
Last year was our very first festival, and it was a huge hit. We had 28 trees of all shapes and sizes and hundreds of visitors came to check them out. This year, we are thinking even bigger. With so much space in St Mary’s, we’re hoping to see at least 50 trees sparkling away.
We’re grateful to our sponsors, the Rye Chamber of Commerce. Their support means the festival is totally free to visit. It’s not about raising money—it’s all about bringing people together, showing off our creativity, and adding a bit of light to the darkest days of December.
Here’s how you can get involved:
• Decorate a tree for your group, business, club or family – and remember, you can never have too many lights!
• Lend a hand with setting up or taking down the trees—many hands make light work.
• Donate some AA or AAA batteries—we’d be delighted to receive them to keep our lights shining brightly.
Set-up will take place on Friday November 28 and Saturday November 29 with the big switch-on during the Advent Sunday service on November 30. After that, St Mary’s will be glowing with colour and Christmas cheer, ready for everyone to enjoy.
Whether you’re bringing a tree, some batteries, or just yourself, you’ll be helping to make this year’s festival even more special. Come along and be part of this lovely Rye tradition—let’s make it the best one yet!
Image Credits: Kt bruce .