SLIPPERY ROCK — The first Festival of Trees had more than 400 attendees over the course of three December weekends, and its creator plans to go even bigger next year.

According to Mary Jo Ross, professor of hospitality and events at Slippery Rock University and festival coordinator, there were eight craftsmen and vendors who participated in the first-ever Festival of Trees, including glassblower Rich Selfridge, North Country Brewing, Heasley's Nurseries and Misty Lane Performance Horses.

The main feature of the festival was the 35 foot-tall Christmas tree in Memorial Park, decorated with lights and ornaments.

Despite having to cancel two days of the event due to inclement weather, Ross said she heard good feedback from families attending and vendors participating at the event.

“The carriage rides were a huge hit,” Ross said. “We had families coming left and right to get their pictures under the tree. Some brought professional photographers.”

Twelve students from Slippery Rock University worked on the festival as part of their class instruction, according to Ross. Their participation contributed to the overall success of the event.

“They had exposure and experience in what it's like to put on something like this for a community,” Ross said. “It was good for the community to bring different groups together to put this together.”

According to Ross, the festival itself was a way to highlight less well-known art mediums.

“This festival was kind of a landing pad to get artists of other genres,” Ross said. “It was helping bring glass into Butler. (Glass blowing) was an interesting piece of this event. I wanted something different that no one else was doing.”

Ross said her vendors were very happy and had a good amount of customers.

“Everybody that set up told me they made enough to make it worth their effort,” Ross said.

The goal for next year's festival includes increasing certain elements in the planning process.

“We want to add more decor next year, increase the number of vendors and increase marketing,” Ross said. “Art and food are two things you can do anything with.”