Christmas Tree Festival At Knights Of Columbus Museum

NEW HAVEN — Nearly 600 Connecticut school children, kindergarten through fifth grade, are participating in the fifth annual Christmas Tree Festival at the Knights of Columbus Museum.

The students have created handmade ornaments and then decorated the 25 festive trees that are the main attraction in the festival. The Christmas trees are on display through January 29. Museum admission is free.

Designed to coincide with “Christmas in Miniature,” a concurrent exhibit of crèches from around the world, this year’s tree ornament theme is The Nativity. Students from each participating school have also designed and made a crèche for their tree.

Museum Director Larry Sowinski says the event is an opportunity for children to learn about Catholic art and culture, as well as the Knights of Columbus.

“First impressions are the most important,” he said. “For these young students, this will be a great first impression.”

Each school is assigned a museum-supplied artificial tree to decorate. With help from museum staff and volunteers from the Supreme Council office, students decorate the trees with ornaments they create in class.

Museum staff and visitors judge the trees based on originality, creativity and grade level. Though first, second, third and honorable mention prizes are awarded, all participants are given something.

For further information contact Kimberly McCarthy at 203-865-0400 extension 227. The museum is at 1 State Street in New Haven. Hours are Wednesday through Saturday from 10 am to 5 pm, and Sunday from 11 am until 5 pm.