One of Owensboro’s oldest holiday traditions returns next month as the Owensboro Museum of Fine Art hosts its 48th annual Holiday Forest Festival of Trees. The celebration begins with the Holiday Forest Gala, when multiple new art acquisitions will be unveiled.
The gala is set for November 8 from 5:30-7:30 p.m. The Festival of Trees will then remain open through December 31. Sponsored continuously by The Glenmore Distillery, this year’s festival interprets the theme Colorfull and features two major exhibitions.
The Forest of Trees includes 21 monumental Christmas trees inspired by the theme, designed by local organizations such as the Owensboro Herb Society, St. Stephen Cathedral, the Woven Together in Western Kentucky Basket Guild, the Daughters of the American Revolution, the Owensboro Art Guild, Sorgho Elementary, Burns Middle School, and the Owensboro Senior Center.
A highlight of the display is a series of designs by Gary Tunget, who decorated the galleries of the Medley Decorative Arts Wing with trees that complement the era of the museum’s historic 1859 Greek Revival structure.
The accompanying Colorfull exhibition showcases large-scale paintings from OMFA’s permanent collection, immersing visitors in vivid works by artists of local, regional, and national significance — including Joseph Dudley Downing, Alex McKibbin, Richard George, Kevin Red Star, Paul Pletka, Michael Aakhus, and Kim Bromley.
The exhibition also celebrates new acquisitions from two acclaimed artists: Kentucky painter Joyce Garner, the 2021 Kentucky South Arts State Fellow; and Beatrize Candioti, an Argentine-born artist known for her naturalistic style and past ties to Kentucky’s art community.
Guests attending the November 8 gala can participate in a hands-on art project to create ornaments for three miniature Christmas trees, which will be raffled off at the end of the evening. Raffle tickets are $10 each. The event also includes holiday cuisine and karaoke.
Admission to the gala is $50 per person or $40 for OMFA Friends of the Foundation subscribers. Reservations can be made by contacting the museum at 270-685-3181, emailing [email protected], or visiting omfa.us.
Daily admission to the museum is free, though donations of $3 for adults and $2 for children are appreciated.
Throughout the six-week exhibition, children can also enjoy free art instruction in ARTLAND, the museum’s interactive studio sponsored by the Michael E. Horn Family Foundation, where they’ll create take-home holiday decorations.
The Owensboro Museum of Fine Art, located at 9th and Frederica streets, is open Tuesday through Friday from noon to 5 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday from 1-4 p.m.
