The Festival of Trees is the Merrimack Valley's signature holiday event, spanning over two weeks each year through Thanksgiving and the beginning of December. Drawing over 30,000 visitors each year from all of the New England states, as well as points as distant as Texas, California, and even Great Britain, it has been a catalyst for historic preservation in the region. Begun as a fundraiser to support the restoration of the Tenney Gatehouse in Methuen, the Festival of Trees has invested over $2,000,000 to date in funds to preserve our area's historic treasures. This investment has been possible because of the generosity and creativity of those businesses, organizations, families and individuals that have made our Festival a truly magical event and due to the commitment of countless volunteers who give their time and energy to make the entirely volunteer-driven Festival successful.