Tree-mendous Christmas Experience secures another tourism grant

Jasper County Historical Museum’s annual Christmas event has been awarded yet another Newton Hotel-Motel Tourism Grant from the city for its continued ability to draw people from out of town to tour the facility and see the hundreds of trees and holiday decorations on display in the various exhibits.

The Tree-mendous Christmas Experience attracted 1,400 visitors in 2024 alone, despite several days of adverse weather. Visitors came from 50 different towns in Iowa and 23 different states. The event attracted around 1,300 guests in 2023, showing the interest continues to grow.

The event was approved for a $2,500 grant.

According to the event’s grant application included in the city council agenda, the Tree-mendous Christmas Experience led to visitors patronizing local restaurants, convenience stores and retail businesses. It also drew them to other holiday attractions like the Maytag Park Holiday Lights.

Barb Carroll, treasurer of the Jasper County Historical Museum Board of Directors, said, “The Christmas Committee is busy planning, strategizing and contacting our supporters for 2025. We are grateful to the City of Newton for its past support with this event, and thank you for considering this application.”

Council member and mayor pro-tem Steve Mullan noted the event is operated in large part by several dedicated volunteers. Fellow council members spoke highly of the event and its place in the community. Council member Randy Ervin said the event has turned out to be “one of the premier events” of the year in Newton.

“I think people come from Des Moines, Ames, east side of the state,” Ervin said of the Tree-mendous Christmas Experience during the Oct. 6 council meeting. “And so to give it a grant to help with it I think is outstanding. So my hats off to anybody that has anything to do with that project.”

The Tree-mendous Christmas Experience will feature more than 200 decorated trees and will run every Saturday and Sunday Dec. 6-28, including a special opening on Dec. 25. Hours are 1-8 p.m. Saturdays and 1-4 p.m. Sundays. Group visits are available by appointment.