A scavenger hunt aimed to give a plug to Port Coquitlam businesses opens tomorrow (Friday) with Christmas trees as the draw.
Participants are asked to visit as many decorated trees as possible on the PoCo Heritage Tree Festival list for a chance to win gift cards and art works. The contest is open until Jan. 4 and forms can be downloaded via pocoheritage.org/christmas-festival.
This year’s fest, of which the launch coincides with the city’s Lighting of Leigh Square and the Winter Artisan Market on Saturday, will see 58 entries including 10 new submissions from businesses and community groups.
Among those taking part for the first time are the Kwikwetlem First Nation, which has festooned its entry with handmade dream catchers and recycled leather trinkets (the tree is located in PoCo Heritage), and PoCo EuroRite FC, whose tree in the Gathering Place is adorned with paper soccer balls with player’s names and their reasons why they love the sport.
Yesterday (Wednesday), members of PoCo Genealogy dressed up their tree in the PoCo Heritage museum with the theme “They Came By Ship,” honouring the Port Coquitlam pioneers who sailed to Canada from Britain around the turn of the 20th century; they added postcards with the image and ships’ names and placed parcels — wrapped in brown paper — at the base of their tree.
About half of the festival trees are located in PoCo Heritage, the Gathering Place (in Leigh Square Community Arts Village), city hall, Terry Fox Library and Hyde Creek recreation centre while the rest are dotted around town in store fronts.
Meanwhile, residents can also vote on their favourite tree and the People’s Choice prize will be awarded Jan. 5. A jury, made up of members of the Coquitlam and Port Moody heritage societies, will also hand out accolades for their best.
Festival proceeds will go into the PoCo Heritage operations. The 6th annual event is sponsored in part by The Tri-City News.
