Winners announced at Barton Health's Festival of Trees & Lights

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - The designer holiday-themed trees have filled the room all weekend at the Barton Health Festival and Trees & Lights. There is still one day left for the public to view them as the annual event wraps up on Sunday, December 8.

All of the trees are beautiful and it was a tough decision by a group of community judges to come up with winners of five distinguished categories.

Best of Show, Best Use of Theme, Most Creative, Most Elegant, and Best Tabletop Tree ribbons (and a season of bragging rights) were awarded to local designers, who decorated these impressive trees as part of the Festival's holiday decor that was auctioned off at the Gala on Saturday. All funds raised will go to benefit community health.

Best of Show
Purple Bubbly
Designer: Katie Long, Thran’s Flowers
Sponsored by: El Dorado Savings Bank

Best Use of Theme
Rods, Reels & Brews
Designer: Belen Urrutia
Sponsored by: Chuck and Sue Scharer

Most Creative
Loved Ones of Christmas Past
Designer: Natasha Munson
Sponsored by: Hooper, Lundy, Bookman

Most Elegant
Oh Baby
Designer: Marsha Ticas
Decorated and donated on behalf of the Barton Family Birthing Center

Best Tabletop Tree
Not a Creature Was Stirring
Designer: Marsha Ticas
Sponsored by: Heavenly Mountain Resort

These trees can be seen during the public viewings at the Festival of Trees & Lights in the Harrah's Tahoe ballroom. Sunday's viewing is from 1:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.

Children and their families can attend the Teddy Bear Brunch during the festival from 10 a.m. – 12 p.m. Sunday (and check out all of the trees). They can enjoy a buffet brunch, be entertained by the “Science Wizard,” write a letter to Santa (who will be sure to write back), and make a visit to the Teddy Bear Hospital - a fun and interactive place to learn about health and hospitals through the care of a teddy bear.