By Isle of Wight Observer
The Brighstone Christmas Tree Festival started with a Lights of Love ceremony and carol service on Wednesday at St Mary’s Church, in aid of Mountbatten, and continues over the weekend with more than 150 trees, raising money for a variety of charities.
They are on show all over the village including St Mary’s Church, the Methodist Church, Wilberforce Hall, Social Club, Library (Children’s trees), Mottistone Church, The Three Bishops Pub and The Isle Of Wight Pearl. The new venues are All Saints’ Church, Calbourne and Calbourne Water Mill.
The IW Observer will also be involved, with the festival with our charity tree based at the IW Pearl Centre.
There will be special events across the weekend, including a Nativity Pageant tomorrow (Saturday) with performances at 1.30pm and 3 at Brighstone & Shorwell Methodist Church garden, New Road, Brighstone. Another new feature will be a tractor run to reflect the area’s agricultural heritage. The Vectis Vintage Tractors will be travelling from IW Pearl at 3.30pm tomorrow and visiting all the venues. The tractors will all be decorated with Christmas lights and tinsel.
Lots of fun will take place, including Christmas quizzes and raffles, special visits from Father Christmas, live musical performances and craft markets, entertaining local acts, face-painting, and special home-made refreshments.
A park-and-ride service is offered by the FYT Bus, and while entry into each venue is free, each tree is collecting donations for charities and good causes. For more information, visit the event’s Facebook page or visit iow.life/treefestival.
History of the festival:
The festival was started in 1997 by the Rector of Brighstone, Tim Eady, together with a small group of villagers, and was then taken over by Chris Goodman.
In 2020 due to Covid, a pared-back version of the festival continued thanks to the efforts of Lizzie Wade and her team at the Isle of Wight Pearl. Last year Chris hung up his Christmas cape, and two new organisers stepped up in the form of Emily Waters and Di Woodhouse.
Since its beginning, it has raised nearly £100,000 for Island and national charities. The festivities traditionally start with a tree lighting ceremony in Brighstone Church in aid of the Earl Mountbatten Hospice. The event attracts around 6,500 tourists each year from across the Island, mainland and worldwide.