(soothing music) - [Announcer] Wheelan-Pressly Funeral Home and Crematory have been serving Quad City families and veterans since 1889.

Wheelan-Pressly Funeral Homes are located in Rock Island, Milan, and Reynolds and are proud supporters of WQPT.

(upbeat music) - [Announcer] Alternatives is a proud supporter of WQPT and has been serving our community for 40 years.

Alternatives provides professional guidance to maintain independence and quality of life for older adults and adults with disabilities.

- Bringing the holidays to the RiverCenter and the gnome that you might find as a present under the tree in "The Cities."

(festive music) Welcome to the 37th year of Festival of Trees in downtown Davenport, a fundraiser for Quad City Arts.

Actually we had volunteers that started working in this building on the 1st of November, making sure that everything turned out beautifully and it actually became a winter wonderland and it's all under the direction of a new administrator.

And we talked to Kim Van Scyoc about all the work she's done so far and what you could expect to see this year.

So, you took the reigns in May, you know-- - Yes.

- The end of spring, early summer.

Were you thinking about Christmas ever since?

- I live in Christmas land and one thing I've learned is that I have to count on my calendar a lot 'cause I lose days and weeks 'cause I'm always thinking about November, November, November.

- [Jim] Right.

- So yes, I am in Christmas land all year long, they tell me.

- What was the key for you for this being the first year?

Because what we notice is that there's a lot of new elements to Festival of Trees, but you know so well there's people that just want the tradition.

- Yeah, I think that the festival is such a beloved event that's been going on for 37 years - [Jim] Right.

- Our 37th year, which is so wonderful.

And the parade's 30th year; it's our anniversary for the parade.

People like the traditions.

My family loves the traditions, but it's nice to see something new.

The sponsors like to see something new.

The designers like to see something new.

So I'm hoping that we have a nice mix of what's tradition, but what's something a little spicy (Jim laughing) for them too, I hope, I hope.

- What do you see as the spicy part of festival this year?

- I love the new floor plan.

- I do, too.

- The floor looks incredible.

- Now if you haven't been to the RiverCenter or if you have, at the Festival of Trees in the past, it was basically rows of trees and now you've kind of created a mass design that looks like a little mini forest.

- It's beautiful and it kind of, I don't know if you guys can get a shot of the ceiling later, but there it kind of matches the ceiling.

and it's just, it feels fresh and different, and I think it's gonna be very accessible, and we have so many trees and so many beautiful designs this year, so I'm really excited about that.

- You were saying that there's more trees this year than in the past or at least last year?

- Well, yeah, we have a number that we try to hit.

- [Jim] Yeah.

- And I think we were over it for a hot minute and then I think we had a couple drop out.

But I think we are right where we wanna be, it's-- - But even so, what do you attribute that to?

I mean, like you said, 37th year, the key, to be honest, are the trees.

You wanna see the trees.

- Yes.

- For that to be as popular if not more popular, you know, people really wanna be a part of this.

- And we have.

From what I understand, since this is my first year, I'm learning all this, from what I understand, we have many new designers, and we had many men on the floor, designing trees or helping design trees this year.

So, I think that's exciting.

I don't know if that's social media pushes, getting a younger crowd-- - [Jim] Uh-huh.

- But it was wonderful to see that many people and like the ladies that know each other from years and years and years and then the new people coming in and getting advice from the ladies and the men who have been here before, is really exciting to watch that happen over three days.

- Now you also have some of the old traditions such as a kid's day, family day, you honor the military, you have special needs day.

How important are those events?

- Very important.

I think again, they go with the traditions for the Quad Cities.

- [Jim] Right.

- And I also think so many people, like the Military Day, near and dear to their hearts, and the Special Needs Day, near and dear to so many people's hearts.

And it's amazing the letters and the emails that I've got from people saying thank you for continuing with these traditions.

The honor trees, the Santa's special stars.

So grateful to be recognized and to be seen and heard and taken special care of, 'cause we wanna take care of everybody.

- How are sales for tickets going so far?

I mean is that easy to tell, because that's where it really counts is getting the people in through the doors.

- We have a ticketing, we're trying to go cashless this year, so we're doing a lot more online.

I think ticket sales are up, because we really are trying to get them, getting people in the habit of buying online, and so that we don't have to worry about the cash so much.

But I think ticket sales are brisk.

I think people are looking forward to the festival.

- Now you did mention the Honor Tree and also the Book Tree, which are two traditions as well.

- Right.

- Tell me about.

- The Book Tree is, used to be upstairs; it's got a new position.

It's down in the Great Hall, or excuse me, out in the atrium.

And the books will be donated to local charities and the Honor Tree, Ornament Trees are near and dear.

They're over by sales and info and we still have some available if anybody would like to purchase one.

And that is a huge, huge part of the festival.

And they're handcrafted; they're made by local artists.

So, come on down and you can honor someone on our tree.

- Well, and I think it's also important to point out that everything you see basically is for sale.

(laughing) - Exactly, we are a fundraiser.

We are the biggest fundraiser for the Quad City Arts, which is our parent company.

And so everything you see, you can take it home with you.

- Well, and let's be honest, the arts have had a tough year, as all of us had during the pandemic.

- Yeah.

- Festival also very difficult period of time.

- Yes, yes, yes, yes.

- That's looking back.

That's real rear view mirror right now.

So, the key is helping Quad City Arts right now, and how does the festival do that?

- Well, we, since we are the largest fundraiser for the festival or for the Quad City Arts, our money goes towards all the other events that happen throughout the year: bringing in public sculptures, helping with the metro arts youth program.

This happens so that those other things can happen as well.

This isn't the only fundraiser, but it is our biggest one.

And the money we use all year long to bring art to the Quad Cities and to the youth.

- And you did mention, of course, that you have people here that are semi-professional or professional decorators.

- Sure.

- But you also have a lot of artwork from children and from non-professionals as well.

- Yes.

- Tell me about the importance of the kids' artwork.

- It's, again, it's, we want to bring youth into, we want to bring the young people into the Festival of Trees, 'cause we want it to live forever.

And we have so many people that just come to the floor specifically for that, to come see their high school's art, to see their budding trees design, budding designer trees that are upstairs.

And again, bringing the youth in, spreading the word about what we do here, what the Quad City Arts does.

We love the local arts; we love the local artwork that the kids do.

- You're gonna have people coming in going, ooh and ah.

Or they're gonna say, "Ooh, that's kind of a cool idea.

I should do that at my house."

What do you want your guests, your people who come through, what do you want them to take away from the displays here at Festival of Trees?

- I hope they take away some hope, some joy.

I hope it kicks off their holiday season.

I hope that they maybe learn a little about, a little bit about the Quad Cities and what the Quad City Arts does.

But at the very least I just want them to know that, what has happened in the past in those last couple tough years we've had, we're gonna be okay.

We're gonna make it through and the tradition we'll live on and we're here to make everybody's holiday that much better.

- Well, and in so many ways, this is the unofficial kickoff to the Christmas season.

- Yes.

- Do do you still feel it or are you almost Christmased out at this point?

- Well, I've been told that I might be a little, I might be a little burnt out at the end of it, but right now I'm still loving every single day.

Every single minute.

Even the tough stuff has been fun.

I've gotten to meet so many wonderful people and it's just been a great ride.

It's been wild, but it's been great.

- Well, let's be honest.

I mean people kind of think, you know, they don't take into consideration that you took possession of the RiverCenter.

Was it November 1st?

Usually the first.

- Yeah, yep, yep.

- So this was a totally empty space.

- Yes.

- This has been at least two long hard weeks of getting this put together.

Was it more than you thought it was gonna be?

- My favorite part so far of the festival is seeing behind the curtain and watching it go, (Jim agreeing) just from the ceiling to the floor to, I mean, there's just so many areas that we cover and every area has their own team that brings it to life.

The facility guys and gals who came in and just like you said, an empty floor.

- [Jim] Uh-huh.

- And this, every day I came in it was something different.

I was taking pictures.

I'm gonna make a book.

It was so cool to watch how everyone came together and it's amazing how they all know what they're doing, for the most part.

They've done it enough.

They have great leaders, they have great team chairs.

And it's just been so fun and so humbling to watch this come together with all these people who just give their time, their talent, their treasure.

They're retired or they take off work from, they take vacation time from work, and come and spend their time here helping us get this together.

It has been, it's been humbling, but it's been wonderful.

- And it is a cast of volunteers that really does help make this happen.

- Yeah, 3000 volunteers from start to finish, whether it's set up, whether it's taking a shift in Reindeer Games upstairs, which can I, can I put a plug in?

- [Jim] Absolutely.

- We are looking for volunteers.

We have plenty, but we'd love more, more, more.

So if anybody out there is thinking about coming on down, you get a free ticket and you get to be part of a beloved event.

So, come on down.

- Well, the other big new thing that I keep hearing about is a Snow Globe.

- The Snow Globe.

- You gotta tell me about that.

- The Snow Globe is one of our new attractions and it is a, it's a photo op and it is a giant inflatable globe, just like it sounds.

And it is has a sponsor and you can come on down and take your picture in front of it and it's really cool, and I'm hoping we get more stuff like that.

- [Jim] Yeah, yeah.

- I have something I'm working on for next year.

I can't tell you what it is yet, but I got something in mind for next year, so.

- So, you really do have the next year already in mind?

(Jim laughing) - I have had, I have had first quarter mapped out in my head for quite a while, yes, yes.

- So when you walk through the Great Hall here at the RiverCenter, is there one particular area that you like more than the rest?

- That's a good question.

- [Jim] Yeah, do you have a favorite or I know you're not allowed to have a favorite.

- I can't have a favorite-- - [Jim] Right.

- But as on the other side, before I was the festival administrator, my son, my lovely 26-year old son, Jack, thought that the parade was for his birthday.

His birthday's in November.

(Jim laughing) - [Jim] And it's not?

- It's not, not for him, but for many years he thought Santa was there for him and the festival's for him.

So, just the whole thing has been so wonderful.

But on this side of it, I think maybe the design aspect of it, watching all these, 'cause I don't have an artistic, necessary artistic background.

I love art, but I'm not necessarily an artistic person.

This floors me how artistic the doors, the wreath, all of it.

I mean it's just so amazing to watch.

I think for this year anyway, that's my favorite.

- And also, I mean the live performances, because you have a stage now-- - Wonderful.

- That's gonna be filled with all different types of an act.

- Yep, it's gonna be wonderful.

We have, Starr is our chair of the center stage and she has gone out and beat the bush and got some new acts and some, some different things that we haven't maybe seen on our stage in the past.

So you'll have your traditional bands and dancing groups, but you're also gonna see some new things that I'm super excited to be a part of.

- This is, like I said, the unofficial kickoff to the holidays.

(Kim cheering) - Yes, yes.

- What do you hope people walk away when they leave the RiverCenter?

What do you want them to take with them?

- I hope that they enjoy their time here.

I hope it sparks their Christmas spirit.

I know Thanksgiving's right here, but now it's Christmas time.

Let's get in the mood-- And the joy and the happiness of the season and I'm so proud and humbled to be a part of that for hopefully 30,000 people.

- Our thanks to Kim Van Scyoc, the administrator for the Quad City Arts Festival of Trees.

You know, in a minute we'll be talking about another holiday tradition and that is Isabelle Bloom Designs, especially the one that is gonna be featured here at Festival.

So we'll talk about that, and some other surprises that you can expect.

But first, Laura Adams has a lot on her calendar that you might be interested in if you want to go Out and About.

- [Laura] This is Out and About for November 18th through 25th.

It's time for the Festival of Trees running through November 27th, including the 30th annual holiday parade on the 19th, starting at 10:00 in downtown Davenport.

Plus the 19th is the Lighting on the Commons in downtown Moline with festivity starting at 3:30.

And there's a Christmas tree lighting at K Square in downtown Davenport on the 18th at 6:00.

It's also time for Winter Nights, Winter Lights at the Botanical Center, beginning on the 18th and running through December 11th.

The Galesburg Community Chorus Fall Concert takes place at First Lutheran Church the 19th at 7:30.

Monica Austin performs at River City Casino the 20th at 8:30.

Irving Berlin's White Christmas and Chance Audiences at Circa '21.

All My Sons, the classic Arthur Miller drama is on stage at Richmond Hills Barn Theater through the 19th.

The musical "Cabaret" is at the Brunner Theater Center from November 17th through the 20th.

While Bucktown review honors veterans at their monthly show at the Davenport Jr. Theater on November 18th at 7:00.

The film "Harry Potter and the Goblet of of Fire" is accompanied by the Quad City Symphony Orchestra on the 19th.

Tomfoolery on Tremont features the comedy of Day Peace, the 20th at Renwick Mansion.

Comedy Sports performs at the Spotlight Theater Fridays and Saturdays, while GIT improv provides nonstop laughs at the Black Box Theater in downtown Molene on the 19th at 7:30.

For more information, visit wqpt.org.

- Thank you, Laura.

We are enjoying the kickoff week of Festival of Trees at the downtown Davenport RiverCenter right now.

The festival continues through the Thanksgiving weekend, but it is closed on Thanksgiving.

And to get us even more into the holiday mood, here's the Bucktown Revue with their music, "Christ Alone."

(soft soothing music) ♪ In Christ alone my hope is found ♪ ♪ He is my light, my strength, my song ♪ ♪ This cornerstone, this solid ground ♪ ♪ Firm through the fiercest drought and storm ♪ ♪ What heights of love, what depths of peace ♪ ♪ When fears are stilled, when strivings cease ♪ ♪ My comforter, my all in all ♪ ♪ Here in the love of Christ I stand ♪ (instrumental music) ♪ In Christ alone who took on flesh ♪ ♪ Fullness of God in helpless babe ♪ ♪ This gift of love and righteousness ♪ ♪ Scorned by the ones He came to save ♪ ♪ Till on that cross as Jesus died ♪ ♪ The wrath of God was satisfied ♪ ♪ For every sin on Him was laid ♪ ♪ Here in the death of Christ I live ♪ (instrumental music) (music ending) - The Bucktown Revue with "Christ Alone."

The next show that they're planning on producing will be at the Davenport Junior Theater.

It is scheduled for December 16th.

Right now we are at the downtown Davenport RiverCenter for the 37th Annual Festival of Trees, a celebration.

And there's so many things on display here and everything basically is for sale, all to raise money for Quad City Arts, and that includes a very special Isabel Bloom sculpture that is available for a limited time.

And I gotta admit, it sells out quickly.

So where did the design come from and what else is available?

We talked to the chief designer and the co-owner of Isabel Bloom, Donna Young.

So tell me about the design that we have, that Isabel Bloom made specifically for Festival of Trees.

- Yes, well this is called the candy cane gnome.

It's very fitting for this year, because of the peppermint theme of the festival.

And gnomes are still popular, and last year we did gnome and I know it sold out almost immediately.

So, we thought this would be another great design for the festival.

- So yeah, let's be honest.

You have done a couple gnomes so far.

Where did that come from?

I mean, it seems to fit.

- Well, it's funny, it's been, I really, the first gnome I did, I swear it was before there was an obsession with gnomes.

(Jim laughing) And my husband saw that I was doing a gnome and he's like, "Are you kidding me?"

And I'm like, "No, I think it'll be fun."

And, and then all of a sudden gnomes took off.

- [Jim] Yeah.

- I don't think I caused gnomes to take off.

- [Jim] Let's just say you did.

- Let's just say I did, okay.

- [Jim] Yeah, that sounds good.

(Donna laughing) And and I noticed too is that with Isabel Bloom, you were kind of used to, if you go way back a lot of years, just one color, maybe a variations of that.

- Yeah.

- You are spicing it up with more color these days.

- We really are.

And it's just something that's evolved over the last maybe 15 years or so.

We've just experimented with different things.

You know, the first time we did a pop of color, the customers just went wild for it.

So we are like, oh, let's try a few more things.

And before you know it, that's part of the design.

As I'm sculpting I'm thinking, how are we gonna finish this?

You know, are we gonna, are we gonna cast it in gray?

Are we gonna pour it in green?

Are we gonna, you know, add paint or are we gonna do a wash?

So, it's all part of the design process is the finish now.

- And tell me your process.

I mean, does it start on pencil and paper-- - Sometimes.

- And then does it go to clay and and how does that work?

- Yes, sometimes I sketch things out.

Sometimes I just save pictures.

I, you know, kind of search the internet for ideas, but then I sculpt it in clay, bring it into the, I sculpt at home, so that's kind of nice.

- [Jim] Yeah.

- Once a week I work at home and then bring it into the office and we all take a look at it.

Of course, there have been a lot of conversations before I even sculpt about what it is that we think would be a great angel this year or what's gonna be a great sympathy gift, or a heart or what does this organization want for their fundraiser.

And so then once I come up with the ideas, then I do the clay.

and then it goes from there, and then we make molds.

We make our own molds and we, you know, mix our own cement, do our own casting.

Everything happens in-house.

- You really want to be a part of Festival of Trees.

You really do want to help Quad City Arts through this process.

- Yes, yes.

Do you know that we have been supporting the festival through a sculpture for, this is our 36th year.

I know it's the festival's 37th year.

- [Jim] 37th, yeah.

- So the first year it didn't happen.

But the very next year we've been making, and actually it started with Isabel.

She did four or five years of ornaments for the festival and then I've just taken it on.

So, Isabel really, she was, of course, she was all about the arts and supporting the community and we've just continued with the tradition, and we're very proud to be part of it.

- I know Isabel Bloom has moved on, but I mean, almost when you do something like this and you bring up the artist herself, Isabel Bloom, - [Donna] Yeah, yeah.

I mean, in a way she lives continuously through the gnomes this year, but through the artwork that's at Festival of Trees.

- I totally believe that.

She was a huge supporter of the arts.

You know, she loved working with children.

She loved encouraging people to play with clay, and yeah, she-- - [Jim] And the process continues.

- She'd be thrilled with this.

- [Jim] The process and joy continues.

- [Donna] Exactly.

- Tell me about Isabelle Bloom right now.

I mean, you had opened a couple brick and mortar stores.

- Yep.

- But you now basically have West Des Moines.

- Yep.

- And you've got Federal Street in Davenport.

- Yes.

- But you have a number of outlets as well.

- Yes, and we have a website, so-- - And that's where I was going.

I mean, is that where the business is kind of turning to?

- A lot, yes.

- [Jim] Yeah.

- But people still love to come and see how it's made.

So, you know, this is our, I guess headquarters, flagship store, whatever you wanna call it.

- [Jim] Right.

- But we had a group of ladies yesterday come, they drove like three and a half hours to come and take a tour and the one gal said this has been on her bucket list.

So, that just made me feel so good.

But people love to see where it's made and meet the artists, meet the artisans that are doing the painting, ask questions.

It just brings so much more meaning to the sculpture they take home.

- Well and to visit Isabel Bloom, your headquarters and your design center-- - Yeah.

- Is now on the agenda for even the river boats that are arriving in the Quad Cities.

- Yes.

- And I'm sure tour buses as well.

- Yes.

- Are are you seeing a larger influx of people from out of town?

- Yes, we really have just kind of wrapped up our busy tour season.

The river boats are done for the season, but I've got an a call I have to return from a school teacher.

She wants to bring her high school art students for a tour.

So, you know, we'll still do group tours when it makes sense and we're able to do it and then start the season up again next spring.

- Now these sell out quickly.

- They do.

- The Festival of Trees and this particular peppermint gnome.

- Yes.

- Candy cane gnome.

What else do you have that's available during the season, during the Christmas holiday season?

- Oh my gosh.

- Yeah, because you do, I mean, I think I saw some 50 pages on your website of different things you can order.

It's not just one or two things.

- No, no.

- You have an awful lot from ornaments all the way to decorations that what could be outside even.

- We do a Santa every year.

We do, I add a tree every year too.

So we've got like a forest of trees now, each with a different design.

Lots of ornaments.

So yeah, lots of new holiday pieces.

A snowman, everybody loves the new snowman.

But all throughout the year, depending on the season, we bring new designs out almost every month.

A few in January for Valentine's.

And then, you know, a few in the spring for Easter, we bring things out for Mother's Day.

So it's just whatever the season is, we bring new designs out.

- And on the opposite side, 'cause I notice on the website there are some limited edition, I don't wanna say discontinued, but some of the artwork is slowly being phased out.

- Yes.

- And there's some wonderful examples of what you do there.

- Yes, yes, if I, if we did not retire or discontinued designs, our line would be so huge.

It would be hard to manage.

So I do, you know, between 25 and 30 new pieces a year, and so that's how many we retire every year.

And we give people plenty of notice, so if they really want that piece, they'll get it before December 31st, and right now I think we've got about six ornaments that are going to be retiring and a few other holiday pieces too.

- So now is a good time to visit the Isabel Bloom headquarters on Federal Street.

- It is.

And, and like you said, there are art teachers that are bringing students in.

It's not a bad idea if you have kids that are interested in art just to come and visit.

- Yeah, we love to encourage people to be creative, and you know, I'm always asking when we have kids, "Do you like to play with clay?"

And I'm surprised at how many kids don't or haven't before, you know.

And to me, you know, Play-Doh been around for years and that's still a great way to start.

- But a lot of your stuff is gonna be right here at Festival of Trees on display.

You gotta be proud of that.

- Absolutely.

- I am, I'm very proud of it and very happy that we can continue to do it all these years.

- Our thanks to the chief designer and co-owner of Isabel Bloom, Donna Young, and we do hope that you do get a chance to come down here to the Downtown RiverCenter and soak in all that is the Quad City Arts Festival of Trees.

Thank you for joining us on the air, on the radio, on the web, and on your mobile device and streaming on your computer as well.

Thanks for taking time to join us as we talk about the issues, on "The Cities."

(upbeat festive music) (music ending) - [Announcer] Wheelan-Pressly Funeral Home and Crematory have been serving Quad City families and veterans since 1889.

Wheelan-Pressly Funeral Homes are located in Rock Island, Milan, and Reynolds, and our proud supporters of WQPT.

(upbeat music) Alternatives is a proud supporter of WQPT and has been serving our community for 40 years.

Alternatives provides professional guidance to maintain independence and quality of life for older adults and adults with disabilities.