TreeFest - 28th Annual Tree Giveaway!

Name: TreeFest - 28th Annual Tree Giveaway!
Start: 2026-01-16T11:00:00-05:00
End: 2026-01-17T16:00:00-05:00
Location: Independence Mall

Schedule

Fri, 16 Jan, 2026 at 11:00 am to Sat, 17 Jan, 2026 at 04:00 pm

UTC-05:00

Location

Independence Mall | Wilmington, NC

The 28th annual TreeFest is back at the JCPenney’s atrium on January 16th and 17th from 11am to 4pm (or until inventory runs out).
Households are invited to select up to 5 bareroot tree seedlings or native bunch grass plugs and are encouraged to donate $5 to fund the return of TreeFest in 2027. Donations have funded over 180,000 trees and grasses to rebuild the canopy of New Hanover County and neighboring counties. Join us in creating a healthier and native greenway along our coast!
TreeFest organizers encourage visitors to bring their own bags or buckets to reduce plastic waste, as bare-root seedlings should be planted promptly. Experts will be on hand to assist with plant selection and provide care advice, with considerations for site conditions, space, and utility lines.
The TreeFest committee expects to receive and have the following species available from the NC Forestry Nursery in Goldsboro:
-Longleaf Pine
-Baldcypress
-Chickasaw Plum
-Buttonbush
-Red Maple - Piedmont
-River Birch
-Flowering Dogwood
-Silky Dogwood
-Southern Wax Myrtle
-Sugarberry
-Eastern Redbud
-Crabapple
-Coastal White Oak
TreeFest began in 1997 to restore tree populations after hurricanes Bertha and Fran. Since then, over 100,000 tree seedlings have been distributed to local residents. The event is made possible by sponsors and a volunteer planning committee, with plants grown by the NC Forest Service Nursery in Goldsboro.