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Christmas: A Kingsbrae Garden Celebration

For the past five years, Kingsbrae Garden has presented the glorious Garden of Lights & Festival of Trees during the St. Andrews winter festival: A Season of Light and Wonder. The holiday season is chock-full of splendid events and activities, with the whole community joining in the fun.

Christmas visitors to Kingsbrae Garden events help to support a very worthwhile cause: The Charlotte County Volunteer Centre and Food Bank. The Garden Café, Gift Shop and Plant Centre will be open as well during the festivities.

Here's what takes place during this seasonal festival at Kingsbrae Garden:

The Garden of Lights

Kingsbrae Garden is dressed for the season with over 35,000 lights, including seasonal statues and spotlights on mature trees, buildings and sculptures. From the parking lot through the Visitors Centre, through the Knot, Rose and Perennial Gardens and from there up the Peony Walk to the Café, you will be enchanted by the variety of lights and decorations, accompanied by seasonal music.

 

 

 

  

The Festival of Trees

The Festival of Trees has participating sponsors from various Charlotte County businesses vying to outdo each other in creating the most beautiful Christmas tree. Stroll through the Visitors Centre and the Café building to see more than 20 spectacular trees and pick your favourite. You can help support the Charlotte County Volunteer Centre and Food Bank by placing a silent auction bid on one or more of the donor-decorated trees. The winner of the auction on each tree will receive all of the decorations, lights and any gift items or gift certificates from that tree (in January, packed in a rugged PVC tote box). The organization that receives the highest auction bid gets pride of place in front of the Café's central windows for their tree the following year.

 

Christmas Dining

What would the holidays be without good food? When you come to see the Garden of Lights & Festival of Trees, you can enjoy a tasty seasonal dinner in the Garden Café either before or after your walk, or just stop in for a warming beverage, Wednesdays through Sundays, from 5 to 9 p.m. Have a coffee or a glass of wine with a delectable selection from Ellen’s dessert tray or, for the kids (even big ones!), there's hot chocolate and gingerbread men. Click here to see a typical Café Christmas Menu.

For a wonderful night out, why not try our Festive Dine-around? Wednesdays and Sundays, from late November through December, you can partake of a progressive dinner around St. Andrews. Begin with hors d'oeuvres from around the world at Rossmount Inn at 6 p.m. Then comes the entrée of your choice at The Snug & Oyster, Europa Restaurant or the Fairmont Algonquin. Your evening concludes with dessert and coffee at Kingsbrae Garden amidst the splendour of sparkling lights and trees.

"We had the pleasure of taking in the Garden of Lights holiday getaway this past Wednesday evening and stayed at the Fairmont, Algonquin. We wanted to let you know it was a fabulous evening and the hotel was superb! It was a wonderful idea, evening, the food was fabulous and I would encourage anyone and everyone to take the opportunity to experience this wonderful event. The people at St. Andrews were very warm and friendly and made us feel most welcome to their town. The Fairmont Algonquin is a wonderful place to stay. We felt very special. Thank you very much."
Halifax, NS