We are so excited to announce our Christmas Tree Decorating Contest! We hope you will join in the fun. All trees will be displayed at our Hickory Christmas Show, which will run from December 5-7 at the Hickory Metro Convention Center. Every decorator will be recognized on a placard card attached to each tree and the top three scoring trees will be awarded a cash prize.
All entrants will receive (2) Weekend Passes to the Hickory Christmas Show. This pass gives access to all 3 days of the show. The awards ceremony will take place on Sunday, December 7th.
You may also optionally enter your tree into a Silent Auction after the event, in which you will receive 50% of the sale, with the other 50% benefitting Arts Culture Catawba.
1st Place – $2,000
2nd Place – $1,000
3rd Place – $500
You may submit an entry form on this page (scroll down). The entry fee is $100. Submission of the official entry form is required. Incomplete entry forms will not be accepted. Once we have received your application, you will receive an email of acceptance into the competition and further instructions to pay your entry fee.
You must supply your own decorations, lights, and tree. Power will be supplied for any electric lights/decoration. You must transport your own tree and decorations to the Hickory Metro Convention Center in order to participate. Trees can be submitted from 11:00 am through 5:00 pm Tuesday, December 2nd , Wednesday December 3rd, or Thursday December 4th. You may decorate your tree onsite.
Tree and all display pieces must fit within a space that is 5 feet wide, 5 feet deep, and 8 feet tall. Please place your tree on a rolling dolly or you can provide a tree that is already on wheels. (Furniture dollies are available at Harbor Freight. Here’s an example of a wheeled base on Amazon: Tree Stand Base
All ornaments must be attached to the tree to prevent damage as the public is walking around the trees. Trees must be artificial. Ornaments may be handmade or commercial. You are free to express your creativity and originality, but we ask that your tree be in good taste and suitable for display at a family event.
Note: We invite you to be creative and show off your artistic skills. Tree submissions are not limited to decorating a purchased tree.
Deadline to Submit an Entry Form: While there is not a specific deadline, we urge creators to act quickly as space is limited. When the spaces are sold out, they are sold out.
Tree Delivery/Setup Dates: Tuesday-Thursday, December 2-4, 2025
Awards Ceremony: Sunday, December 7, 2025 at 3:00 pm
Trees on Display: December 5-8, 2024
Optional Silent Auction: Monday, December 8, 2025
Tree Pickup: Tuesday, December 9, 2025
Judging is 100% People’s Choice. Here’s how it will work:
Each tree will have a voting box next to it. Attendees will each receive a voting ticket when they arrive and they can place their ticket in the voting box of their choice.
–PLUS–
Attendees will be able to purchase additional tickets. These tickets will serve 2 purposes:
(1) Votes for the Trees
(2) A 50/50 drawing with the ticket holder receiving half of the money raised.
You are welcome to rally your friends and promote your tree on social media, in email, text messages, etc.
Following the Hickory Christmas Show, you may either pick up your tree, or you may donate it to be sold as part of a Silent Auction for Arts Culture Catawba, who will be holding their Jingle Bell Bash fundraiser at the Convention Center on Monday, December 8th.
If your tree is sold at auction, you will receive 50% of the sale, with the other 50% benefitting Arts Culture Catawba. All of the proceeds from the Silent Auction fund the Innovative Artist Grant program, which is a program by Arts Culture Catawba that awards grants to creative projects by local artists.
Entering your tree into the auction does not guarantee that your tree will be sold. If it is not sold at auction, you will be notified and may pick up your tree following the fundraiser event. These pickups will take place on Tuesday, December 9th.