Festival of Trees

Location
Mountain America Exposition Center
9575 State St, Sandy, UT 84070

Opening Night
The Invitations and tickets for 2023 Festival of Trees Opening Night (Tuesday, November 28, 7 – 9 p.m.) will be mailed near the end of October. Opening Night tickets will also be available for purchase on November 1.

Silent Auction
The online silent auction opens November 28 at 6 p.m. and closes November 29 at 9 p.m. and will be accessible to all who wish to participate (whether attending in person or not) through the link under How to Participate on this site!
The 2023 Festival of Trees Silent Auction will showcase:

• Beautifully adorned 7’-10’ Trees
• Beautifully adorned 4’-6’ Trees
• Wreaths
• Centerpieces & Collectibles
• Gingerbread Villages
• Nativities
• Quilts
• Playhouses

Shoppes & Activities
Not just about the trees, the 2023 Festival of Trees will also showcase:

• Scones & Sweet Rolls
• Sweet Shoppe
• ELF Emporium
• Gift Shoppe
• Kid’s Korner
• Live Performances
• Santa Land

Take a look at how the event space is organized so you can plan out your trip!

Afu was a highly active athlete in junior high where he played football, basketball, and ran track. In the summers heading into high school, he lifted weights and trained daily with his brother and dad to prepare for the upcoming sport seasons.

In July of 2021, at the age of 14, his life changed. Afu started having some pain in his lower leg, primarily in his left calf. Being as active as Afu was, everyone assumed it was attributed to playing sports and possibly a minor injury. By the time football season rolled around, the pain hadn't gone away and it had increased where he had started to limp. His parents scheduled an MRI to identify exactly what was going on.

The results were much more serious than expected: Afu had a rare form of bone and soft tissue cancer. More testing showed it had spread to multiple areas, including his calf, lymph nodes, pelvis, abdomen, and lungs. His particular type of cancer is called Ewing sarcoma. It is known to have a low survival rate and a high rate of return. Afu and his family are committed to doing everything possible to give him the best possible chance of survival and beat cancer.

Afu started chemotherapy at Primary Children's Hospital right away. With his initial treatment plan, he endured 14 rounds of chemotherapy and 41 rounds of radiation in different areas of his body. Afu went into a brief remission in the 2022, but the cancer returned only 3 months later. His oncology team at Primary Children's Hospital recommended a different chemotherapy treatment plan, where he went through an additional 9 rounds of chemotherapy.

Reflecting on his journey, Afu shares, "At first, I wondered why this was happening to me. But as I saw how my family and other people reacted, I thought, maybe it's to bring people closer together, to strengthen my faith, and to deepen our family bond."

As of July 2023, Afu is once again in remission. He recently received clear scans three months after his last chemo treatment. While the future remains uncertain, he and his family are filled with hope, gratitude, love, and determination. Their story serves as a source of support and encouragement for other families facing similar challenges, letting them know they are not alone.