NORWAY — A winter wonderland awaited those entering the seventh annual Festival of Trees on Saturday in the Twin Town Plaza, and holiday cheer was easy to find.

“This kicks off the Christmas season,” said Glen Holmes, chief financial officer for the Oxford Hills Chamber of Commerce, which organizes the event.

Lined up in a U-shape and taking most of the space in the room were lavishly decorated trees, and they held more than beautiful baubles. Under each tree was an assortment of gifts, and within the branches were gift certificates, movie tickets, candy and other fun items.

The trees were decorated and donated by local businesses, to be raffled off at the festival. Twenty percent of the proceeds from the festival will be donated to local charities. This year, the donation will go to food pantries, according to Holmes.

Sheila Mcalister of Buckfield has been coming every year since the first, and won the tree donated by Bessey Motor Sales a few years ago.

“I like to take my grandkids to look at all the trees and presents. We enjoy it. I think it helps the community,” Mcalister said.

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Evanna Brodeur of New Gloucester studies a raffle ticket handed to her by her aunt, Emily Ellis, at the Festival of Trees in Norway on Saturday. (Brewster Burns photo)