Festival of Trees Celebrates 40 Years of Dazzling the QC

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Befitting “the most wonderful time of year,” one of the Quad Cities’ biggest and most beloved events returns this month with a special reason to celebrate. The Quad City Arts Festival of Trees is marking 40 years of holiday magic, returning to the RiverCenter in downtown Davenport, November 22–30, 2025.

This year’s theme, “Tinsel & Tradition: Celebrating 40 Years of Festival Magic,” honors four decades of creativity, community spirit, and festive fun. Since its beginning in 1986, Festival of Trees has grown into one of the Midwest’s most cherished holiday traditions—uniting thousands of volunteers, designers, sponsors, and visitors in support of the arts.

This year’s Festival of Trees will shine with over 75 dazzling trees and popular attractions like Gingerbread Village, the IMEG Festival Express Train, and more. Like years past, guests can enjoy live performances by local talent on CenterStage, view incredible art at the High School Art Exhibit, taste a sweet treat in the Treat Shoppe, and of course, visit Santa!

New attractions will also grace the festival floor in 2025, including Quilt Village, the Petite Forest, and Culture Bright Lane — a breathtaking new feature showcasing grand 9.5-foot designer trees, each one representing the cultural vibrancy and creativity of our community. Guests can also stroll through Holiday Porches and take part in the brand-new 6x6 Art Raffle, featuring original mini works donated by local artists.

As Quad City Arts’ largest fundraiser, Festival of Trees helps bring world-class performers into local schools, invests in public art and placemaking, provides paid opportunities to artists, and keeps fun community events accessible for all. Every dollar spent at Festival of Trees is used to enrich the quality of life in the QC through the arts.

“Festival of Trees gives our community a spectacular start to the holiday season while directly supporting arts experiences for students and families,” says Brian Allen, executive director of Quad City Arts. “It’s a celebration of creativity, connection, and tradition—forty years strong and still growing.”

This is his first FOT as executive director, since starting in the job in April 2025.

“I’m just honored, and feel amazed to be part of something that has so many volunteers who dedicate so many hours,” Allen says, noting Festival needs the time and talents of over 2,000 volunteers. “I’m also in awe of the structure that does exist. It’s basically started, founded, created and sustained by volunteers. Just stepping into that is kind of ‘Wow,’ and there’s just so much to know. I’m just really excited to be part of it.

“It feels like service to the community, providing this cool tradition people get to take part in every year, but it’s also a fundraiser for our organization,” he says. “It serves two purposes.”

Allen has lived in the QC 13 years, and he and his wife always go to the Holiday Parade with their kids (now 12, 10 and 7).

The QC holiday season officially kicks off with the FREE Holiday Parade in downtown Davenport on Saturday, Nov. 22 at 10 a.m. Presented by KWQC-TV6 and Arconic, the parade will feature giant helium character balloons, dazzling floats, marching bands, dance troupes, pageant queens, and a special appearance by Santa Claus. Leading the parade will be the Ruby Royal Motorcade with the Thoms Family, beginning at 3rd Street and Pershing Avenue, winding its way through downtown to 2nd Street and Iowa Avenue.

Fresh Experiences to Celebrate 40 Years

Among the new features for the 40th Festival of Trees are:

The 6x6 Art Raffle shows that big creativity comes in small packages! The all-new 6x6 Art Raffle features one-of-a-kind works donated by local artists. Each piece is no larger than six inches, but every design is bursting with personality and creativity.
Enter to Win a John Deere ZTrak! Enter on-site to win a John Deere ZTrak electric zero-turn mower.
The first 40 guests each day will receive light-altering glasses that make Festival sparkle like never before. Arrive early and see the magic in a whole new light! Brought to you by Virdi Eye Clinic.
Take a chance to win some of the best products and services from local places you love! Just a single $1 raffle ticket could score you some incredible prizes, including a John Deere Gator XUV 550 DE 12-Volt ride-on for kids—a rugged mini-vehicle with dual speeds, a working dump bed, and authentic John Deere styling. A $20 raffle ticket gets you a chance at winning the grown-up version - a John Deere ZTrak Zero Turn Electric Mower.

Designer trees will be available for purchase throughout the event, with free local delivery within a 40-mile radius.

Special events during the festival are:

Nov. 21—Premiere Party
Nov. 22—FREE Holiday Parade
Nov. 23—Teddy Bears & Treats
Nov. 25—SugarPlum Ball
Nov. 26—Celebrity Lunch
Nov. 29—Silent Disco

More volunteers are always needed, from greeting guests to decorating trees and helping manage special events. Volunteers receive one free admission ticket per shift and are entered into daily prize drawings. Sign up today at qcfestivaloftrees.com/volunteer.

Festival of Trees is November 22–30, at the RiverCenter, 136 E. 3rd St., Davenport. Admission is $12 adults, $5 children (ages 2–10). Children under 2 are free. Gates are cashless; purchase tickets online in advance at qcfestivaloftrees.com/events or by calling 309-793-1213.

Jonathan Turner is a veteran journalist and piano player, who has made the QC home since 1995 and loves writing about arts and culture. He is the author of the books “A Brief History of Bucktown: Davenport's Infamous District Transformed,” and “100 Things To Do in the Quad Cities Before You Die”.