York City's Goodridge Freedom Center hosts Festival of Trees

The Goodridge Festival of Trees 2018 is open to the public and offers much more than just a tree display.

Yes, the 27 individually inspired creations will dazzle and delight, but the historic home and freedom center offers much more intrigue within.

Kelly Summerford, the new manager of the William C. Goodridge Freedom Center & Underground Railroad Museum, offers tours of the center from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Wednesdays and Saturdays throughout November and December, with additional availability from 4-8 p.m. on First Friday, Dec. 7.

As a regional actor who has portrayed Goodridge for some time, Summerford says he likes to tell everyone a little bit about who Goodridge was.

“We want to do it in the spirit of William Goodridge, who was the first person to bring a Christmas tree to York,” Summerford said.

Goodridge was the son of a slave in Baltimore and eventually became a business owner in York in the early 1800s. The Goodridge Center, 123 E. Philadelphia St., was Goodridge's home and a stop on the Underground Railroad.

The theme for the trees displayed throughout the home follow the theme of “Celebrating Artistic Interpretations of Images.” The titled works range in theme from kaleidoscope to angels, a rotating tree, a nativity, selfies and bling, to name a few.

Display No. 6, “Image of Evalina,” is a bright and glimmering figure decorated as a tribute to Evalina Goodridge, William’s wife.

“I just thought that was the most unique tree — to take a mannequin and make it beautiful,” Summerford said.

For more information on the Festival of Trees as well as more upcoming events offered at the center, go to www.goodridgefreedomcenter.org/.