Holiday season Festival of Trees returns to Mississauga

The third annual Mississauga Festival of Trees opens this Friday at one of the city’s historic gems.

The Christmas season event, running Dec. 8-17 at the Small Arms Inspection Building on Lakeshore Road East, features a wide array of attractions including tree installations created by Ontario artists, canopies of festive lights, markets with more than 80 local artisanal and culinary vendors, live entertainment, workshops and more.

Organizers describe the festival as a “celebration of the holiday spirit” that has quickly become “a significant highlight on Mississauga’s cultural calendar.”

They add that for a pay-what-you-can admission fee, “attendees are welcomed to experience art, culture and holiday magic at the remarkable heritage site, the Small Arms Inspection Building.”

The festival kicks off this weekend with an Artisan Market running Friday through Sunday. The following weekend, Dec. 15-17, features a Culinary Market.

“Step into a world of magic and winter wonder at this year’s Mississauga Festival of Trees. We are excited to showcase the work of emerging and established local artists with captivating tree art installations that will dazzle,” said lead event organizer Jessica Haggeman. “Immerse yourself in our vibrant Artisan Market and Culinary Market featuring a variety of vendors offering unique treasures and delectable delights.”

Live music from local musicians will be featured throughout the festival, including performances from Wilson & The Cast Aways, Jazz Plazma, Troubador and more, organizers note.

In addition, a series of drop-in workshops will run throughout the event:

• Dec. 9 — Toronto Region Conservation Authority presents Life of a Tree to discover the contributions trees make to the world and how to identify species of trees
• Dec. 9 — Birdwatching 101 with Toronto Region Conservation Authority will cover binocular basics, tips for identifying bird speciesand more
• Dec. 12 — Explore Nature, an outdoor nature walk with Credit Valley Conservation, will focus on the benefits of native trees, climate change and ways residents can actively contribute to positive change
• Dec. 16 — Visual Arts Mississauga shows attendees how to create custom gift wrapping for the holidays (30-minute sessions, and reserving a spot ahead of time is recommended. A $5 donation is suggested)

For more festival information, visit https://www.creativehub1352.ca/festival-of-trees.

The Small Arms Inspection Building, in its renovated form, plays host these days to art shows, concerts, beer festivals and various other events of all shapes and sizes.

In days past, though, more specifically during the Second World War in the 1940s, it functioned as a munitions factory and firearms inspection facility that was key to Canada’s war efforts.

The Festival of Trees is hosted by CreativeHub 1352, a non-profit, community-driven organization dedicated to advancing Mississauga’s cultural development through the arts, heritage and environmental sciences.