Seeing the island through the Festival of Trees
BY MARLI GUZZETTA
Oh, how time does fly, and here we are at the end of the year with a chance to check in with one another at the 13th annual Festival of Trees - when all manner of Nantucket vendors and organizations turn in something of an end-of-the-year tribute to the island in the form of a personalized Christmas tree.

The event's chair, Mary Malavese, remembered the Festival's first year, during the NHA's centennial in 1994. The first tree of importance to the Festival was not a fir or a pine, but a family tree. "At that time, the suggestion for the event came from NHA president Kim Corkran's mother, Lucile Pierce Corkran," Malavese said.

"This is the second year The Festival of Trees is in the museum, and it really does transform the museum into a winter wonderland," added Peter J. Greenhalgh, Manager of Public Relations for the Nantucket Historical Association, which hosts the Festival.

The Festival's preview party was sold out six weeks in advance because of its eternal appeal. "Part of this is because it's a festival for the community, the year-round community that lives here," Greenhalgh said. "People can come in and enjoy something by their neighbors."

Greenhalgh added that the Festival is also beloved by the community because the trees (over 70 this year) showcase the personalities of the island's businesses, organizations and individuals.

Last year, Nantucket Coffee Roasters did "a phenomenal tree" that was scented with coffee, remembered Greenhalgh, who added that trees by local interior designers and schools never disappoint.

Cisco Brewers co-founder Randy Hudson said he loves creating his company's tree every year for personal reasons. "It really helps me to get into the Christmas spirit, that's for sure," said Hudson, who is taking the term "Christmas spirit" literally this year. His tree will consist of a framework of concentric circles of empty Triple 8 bottles, lit by a nest of colorful lights. ("I didn't put labels on the bottles, because I don't want it to be too cheesy," he said.)

But BPC Architecture is not shying away from the camp this year. The staff has created a tree with a '60s theme - purchasing most of its materials off eBay and even creating a '60s living room scene to surround the tree, which is a retro aluminum tannenbaum outfitted with working color wheels.

"We were thinking of the craziest Christmas trees that ever existed, and these shiny trees fit the bill," said the company's principal and owner, Mark J. Cutone. "It's a lot of fun. Every year, we all work together to come up with our theme, and the whole staff gets into it." This year, the staff will be "getting into it" quite literally, as in, getting into '60s costuming for the preview party - which will cap off over three months of planning for the BPC staff.

"For me, what's so exciting is that we still have our programs taking place during the Festival," Greenhlagh said. "So you get to go in and see these beautiful trees but also have them surrounded by Nantucket history."

Sometimes, the trees add to the content and mission of the museum. Every year, Festival veterans Nina Hellman and Bee Gonnella, for example, find a clever historic twist for their tree, whose ornaments are always entirely handmade.

This year, Gonnella's and Hellman's theme will be "Do You Remember?" The ornaments will incorporate historic photographs from the island, like one of Nantucket students on strike in 1938 or another from the old Madequecham Jam, a now-defunct beach party that was once a summer staple. "It was a huge bash in August with plenty of free-flowing beer," Gonnella remembered. "A lot of kids thought of it as a good time, and a lot of parents thought of it as something they were never going to let their kids attend. It ended when the town decided it got out of hand."

The women wanted their tree to be interactive this year, so they've included guest books in which people can post their own Nantucket memories. "We've been around for a while, so a lot of these photos made us hoot and holler," Gonnella said.

It's the interaction that makes the Festival special.

"There has been such wonderful community support for this festival over the years," Malavase said. "And the tireless work and creativity of the tree designers and decorators are truly appreciated."

When: Through Dec. 18;

every Thursday - Monday, 11 a.m. - 4 p.m.,

and Friday, 11 a.m. - 8 p.m. Where: NHA Whaling Museum, 13 Broad Street Cost: $5 for Nantucket residents with valid

Nantucket licenses; $15 general admission;

Free for children and NHA members. For more information, call 228-1894, ext. 0.

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