Making Wreath Fest Happen

You may love us for our educational programming, animals, or trails, but we are also known for our popular fundraiser, Wreath Fest! We transform our spaces so that for two weeks, guests can join us for a myriad of seasonal delights. Friends and family chat over food and drink around roaring fires in our Pavilion or Pondside spaces, carefully choosing from our wide assortment of natural decorating materials to create wreath masterpieces. All the while, Woodcock staff work like holiday elves refilling baskets, making bows, and capturing precious memories on camera.

What you may not realize is that we start thinking about Wreath Fest long before you! Just days after summer camp ends, boxes of materials begin arriving at our doorstep. In October, the scent of dried apples and oranges waft out of the office building as educators slice and dehydrate fruit to add to our array of decorating materials. Every available attic and office space is filled until early November when our grounds undergo their winter transformation. An assembly line of staff shuttle materials, easels, and baskets from one space to the next, turning our classrooms into decorating spaces. Tables and benches are carefully arranged, then covered with feathers, florals, and foliage, each item meticulously planned, ordered, clipped, and prepared for decorators to choose from.

There’s so much that goes on behind the scenes to bring this incredible event to life. The effort, planning, preparation, and heart that our staff and volunteers dedicate pays off as we are continually rewarded by the memories our guests share of Wreath Fests past and the joy we witness them experience each year.

Jennifer Meikle has been an educator at Woodcock for over four years and teaches numerous PreK and after school programs and is waterfront director at summer camp. She brings her creative talents and love of nature to every aspect of her work at Woodcock, including Wreath Fest!