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4 2 | PULSE Fa l l 2 0 1 6 O ne of the most eagerly-anticipated events of the holiday season in Torrance is the Holiday Festival at Torrance Memorial Medical Center, featuring lavishly decorated trees, boutiques, holiday shopping and daily entertainment by various local groups. Happening the week aer anksgiving , the festival dates back to 1984 and attracts 18,000 visitors each year. "Disneyland might be the happiest place on earth, but we think the Holiday Festival is the happiest place during the holidays," brags Carolyn Snyder, who has volunteered with the festival (for 32 of its 33 years!) and has served as the co-chair with Bev George for the last eight. "When people come here, their faces just light up and you'll see the biggest smiles." Set up under a giant tent at Torrance Memorial, the festival features 36 elaborately- decorated trees, each with a special theme. "You won't see trees decorated like this anywhere else," explains Laura Schenasi, executive vice president of Torrance Memorial Foundation, which fundraises for the hospital and manages the Holiday Festival each year. "When you decorate trees in your home, they tend to be very traditional. But these trees are all decorated around various themes. Past themes have included safari, surfing, USC, Mardi Gras—all unique, innovative ideas from the tree designers." It's a year-round effort, with more than 300 volunteers giving approximately 8,000 hours of their time to make it happen. Planning for next year's festival begins even before the current year is over, as designers envision next year's tree themes. Volunteers start shopping post-holiday sales, and in January the trees are dismantled, lights stored away, decorations repurposed and work plans outlined for the coming year. Each ursday throughout the year, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., volunteers gather in the Festival Workshop to make decorations. Anyone is welcome to join these weekly workshops by coming to the festival's third-floor space in the Boeing (REEFF) building at 3121 W. Lomita Blvd., adjacent to Torrance Memorial. "Come on over, and we'll find something for you to do. We'll teach you how to make a garland or wreath or create decorations," says Snyder. While the trees are the highlight of the festival, a boutique area for holiday shopping is another favorite component and the largest in the South Bay. Among many great gi ideas, visitors can purchase beautifully hand-craed decorations, wreaths and small holiday trees made by the volunteers. Special marketplaces for seniors and children offer items under $5 for those on a budget. Other kid-focused activities include cookie decorating, face painting and a chance to have photos taken with Santa. emed trees are available for purchase throughout the week, and during the black-tie gala on Friday evening, unsold trees are posted in a silent auction. Some buyers take the trees to their homes or businesses, while others donate them to various units in the hospital. Included with festival admission for all visitors is the chance to win one of four opportunity trees donated by area community-service groups. A fashion show featuring high-end designers and professional models opens the festival with a sell-out crowd every year (tickets are $125). Additional vendors supplement the boutique offerings for an enhanced shopping experience for guests. By the time it's all over, the festival raises $1.5 million for Torrance Memorial each year. "What truly sets this event apart from other fundraising events is the decorated trees. e festival is a great way to start your holiday season and help the hospital too," says Schenasi. "It's a fun, upliing, happy place to be." MORE THAN 300 VOLUNTEERS GIVE APPROXIMATELY 8,000 HOURS OF THEIR TIME TO MAKE THE FESTIVAL HAPPEN. THE HOLIDAY FESTIVAL BRINGS JOY TO KIDS, ADULTS AND FAMILIES ALIKE. WRITTEN BY JAMES F. MILLS ILLUSTRATED BY ELENA LACEY Celebrate