I guess we should have seen this coming.

The 35th Anniversary of Festival of Trees will go virtual this year and the holiday parade and other events that go along with this QC favorite event are canceled.

This comes from the news release sent today from the festival committee.

After thoughtful and careful consideration, Quad City Arts has made the difficult decision not to host the 35th Annual Kwik Star Festival of Trees in person this year due to uncertainty and concern for the safety of our volunteers, staff, and community as a whole regarding the COVID-19 pandemic.

We recognize that Festival of Trees is a beloved holiday tradition in the Quad Cities, and while this was not an easy decision to make, we believe it is the right one.

The Festival of Trees committee says in lieu of an in-person event this year, they will be partnering with KWQC-TV to present a one-hour holiday special to air on Saturday, November 21st during the traditional parade hour, and they're asking the community to get involved for a Day of Giving on the same day.

There will be items and gift baskets you can purchase at the Quad City Arts gallery in Rock Island along with other favorites like the Honor Tree and Isabel Bloom Ornaments.

Festival of Trees began in 1986 to celebrate the holiday and fund the visiting artist series for at Quad City Arts. Quad Citians have come to know the festival as the official kickoff of the holiday season.

We'll miss all the trees, the lights, music and parades, but we understand why the committee needed to make this tough decision. Here's hoping for Festival of Trees 2021.

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