27th Annual Tree Fest

The 27th annual TreeFest will take place from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on January 17-18 at Independence Mall inside the JC Penney corridor, while supplies last.

Households can select up to five (5) trees or grasses from the available selection for free, however a $5 donation per household is suggested and greatly appreciated.

“Trees offer many benefits to our community, from flood protection and improving water and air quality, to creating shade and oxygen, to providing food and nesting sites for birds and wildlife,” said TreeFest Committee Member Amy Mead. "By making sure we have a robust tree canopy, we can help our community be more resilient to the impacts of weather."

All trees and grasses will be available on a first-come, first-serve basis. Tree species include Longleaf Pine, Atlantic White Cedar, Eastern Red Cedar, Red Maple, River Birch, American Persimmon, Flowering Dogwood, Eastern Redbud, Live Oak, and White Oak. Silky Dogwood (shrub) and Indian Grass will also be available. Please note that all species are subject to availability and some may not be available at the giveaway.  Trees are bare root and should be planted as soon as possible.

More than 5,000 individual plants will be available during the event, distributed equally each day. To serve as many in the community as possible, patrons are asked to limit household allotments to five plants. This year, in an effort to reduce waste from single-use plastics, the TreeFest committee asks visitors to bring their own non-leaking bag or bucket to take home their bare root seedlings.

Experts will be available to help with plant selection and provide information about their care. Before selecting trees, residents are encouraged to consider the size of the site, whether utility lines exist above and below ground, proximity to buildings as well as site conditions like soil type, drainage and sun exposure.

TreeFest began in 1997 after hurricanes Bertha and Fran decimated tree populations in the area. Since its inception, TreeFest has given away over 150,000 tree seedlings and grasses to area residents. The NC Forest Service Nursery in Goldsboro, NC grew the plants for this event. A voluntary planning committee and many sponsors, including the City of Wilmington, Friends of Wilmington Skateparks, Independence Mall, NC Cooperative Extension, NC Forest Service, New Hanover County Soil and Water Conservation District, and UNCW’s Departments of Environmental Sciences and Biology & Marine Biology, make TreeFest possible with the generous donations from its patrons and event day volunteers.