Red with green and gold with white likely will be dominant color pairings at the 20th annual Beaver County Festival of Trees starting tomorrow, but black and gold will figure in the decorating scheme as well.

A total of 47 lavishly decorated Christmas trees will be up for display and sale at the Lodge in Brady's Run Park in Fallston. Each year about 6,000 to 8,000 people come to see the trees, as well as wreaths, Lionel and American Flyer trains and the jolly ole elf himself, Santa Claus.

The six-day Festival of Trees traditionally generates between $20,000 to $25,000 to benefit clients of the Beaver County Children and Youth Services. Last year, however, proceeds totaled $14,000, undoubtedly because of the economy, festival organizers say.

Now they're hoping for a bigger year, beginning at 5 p.m. tomorrow after people have eaten their Thanksgiving dinners. It continues through Dec. 6.

"People come from all over the world, really, when you consider that people bring their friends and relatives who are in town for Thanksgiving," said Kay Smith of New Brighton. She has volunteered with the festival for all 20 years, serving the past 16 years as chairwoman.

This year's theme is "Christmases of Years Gone By."

About 100 volunteers have been working since Oct. 31 to transform the lodge into a snow-covered winter setting. That's in addition to the individuals, companies and organizations that sponsor and decorate the trees. Wreaths and gift baskets also are donated.

One of the raffle items is an autographed Steelers Super Bowl helmet.

Decorated trees generally sell for prices ranging from $500 to $2,500. The trees are artificial, ranging in height from 6 to 9 feet. Some can be purchased before and during the festival.

Some can be won by raffle ticket and others are auctioned off Dec. 9, when doors open at 5 p.m. and bidding begins at 6. There is no admission fee on that date.

How does black and gold enter into all of this?

"The top tree this year is the Pittsburgh Steelers Tree," Ms. Smith explained. It's sponsored and decorated by the John Antoline Foundation. The namesake of that foundation was a Beaver County commissioner who died of cancer in 1997. He also had been mayor of Monaca.

His son, John, who is mayor of Monaca, "has been collecting Steelers items for five years," Ms. Smith said. The tree is covered with items that have been autographed by Steelers, present and past, including Jack Lambert.

All of the decorations on another tree are hand-carved wooden ornaments.

"We also have a snowman tree, an angel tree, a Santa Claus tree and a redneck tree," Ms. Smith said.

Many of the sponsors decorate their own trees. Other sponsors let volunteers do the decorating, which continued through Monday night. Sponsors previewed the show Tuesday night.

Many of the festival volunteers work for Beaver County Children and Youth Services, as did Ms. Smith until she retired in October after 25 years. But county employees have to use their own time to volunteer at the festival.

Cost of admission at the festival is $3 for adults, 50 cents for ages 6-12, and $2 for ages 63 and older. Senior citizens pay $1 from noon to 9 p.m. Dec. 6.

The festival hours are noon to 9 p.m. on Friday, Saturday and Sunday and Dec. 4-6.

Advance reservations are required for Breakfast with Santa from 9 to 11 a.m. Saturday. Contact Ms. Smith at treefestival@comcast.net or 724-513-6759.

Visit www.beavercounty.com for pictures of the trees and for online bidding, which begins at 5 p.m. tomorrow. Register online to win an artificial Christmas wreath. Bidding closes at noon Dec. 8.

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