The Merry Tree Festival comes to Glen Cove

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Walking through downtown Glen Cove is especially festive this year, thanks to the 40 live, decorated Christmas trees that line the streets.

Started three years ago by Glen Cove’s Public Relations Officer Lisa Travatello, the Merry Tree Festival was her way of bringing even more Christmas spirit to the city while getting local businesses and community organizations involved.

Various city agencies, families, community groups and local businesses sponsored a tree and spent the weekend following Thanksgiving decorating them. Many trees were decorated with the theme of the sponsor: La Famiglia Restaurant decorated their tree with little pizza slices and gingerbread men, Meritage Wine Bar used different wine ornaments and Glen Cove Harbor Patrol used rubber ducks.

Sponsors purchased the trees at $350 from the local Mario Fischetti Nursery. The money goes towards the purchase of the tree, the decorations and the upkeep. The tree boxes were built by Cipriano Yanes of the Glen Cove Parks and Recreation Department.

After the holidays, most of the trees are planted in city parks and facilities, while a handful are planted in Glen Cove’s new Christmas tree farm in Dennis Brian Murray Park. Travatello said hopefully in 20 years or so, the city’s Christmas tree can come from that farm.

The Merry Tree Festival runs along both sides of Glen and School Streets and will be on display until Jan. 6.