The Catoosa County Library is bringing the Festival of Trees back from a four-year absence. The library is celebrating its 10th year anniversary at the Benton Place campus in Ringgold.

“To me, it’s just another way to put the Christmas spirit in the community,” children services coordinator Karol Radovich said.

The library opened on June 7, 1999, after a $3 million building project with county SPLOST funds.

Individuals, businesses and even classrooms are encouraged to set up a tree for the festival. There is no charge, and applications are available at the library.

The trees can be small enough to fit on a table or as tall as 10 feet. They will be scattered throughout the library wherever there is an empty space.

The trees will be divided into two categories, one for children, which includes classrooms and day care centers, and another for adults, which includes businesses and organizations.

Catoosa County Library Festival of Trees: Sunday, Dec. 13, from 3-5 p.m. Trees need to be decorated between Nov. 30 and Dec. 9. and be taken down by Jan. 6.

Catoosa County Library 10th anniversary reception: Tuesday, Dec. 10 from 6-8 p.m.

Friends of the Library Book Sale: Thursday, Dec. 10 through Sunday, Dec. 13. Hours will be posted

At the Festival of Trees reception on Dec. 13, $50 awards will be given out to the best tree in each category.

Radovich, who has been at the new facility since it opened in 1999, said that in the past classrooms have decorated a tree themed around a book the students read in class. A tree from the a nursing home had the residents’ faces as the face of angel ornaments. The Learning Center also did a tree one year with school-themed ornaments. The book club that used to be part of the library created a tree highlighting each of the books the members had read over the year.

“It’s so beautiful, so festive,” library director Brigid Broderick said.

The dance group from Boynton Elementary School and the chorus from Tiger Creek Elementary School will perform on Dec. 13.

In the past, the library had about 20 trees set up. This year, Radovich expects about half that.

She said she hopes people will see the trees and will want to set up one of their own. She said many library patrons are excited about the program’s return.

Broderick said she knows the bad economy will keep some organizations from entering, but she hopes to get the tradition started again.

The Friends of the Library is helping organize the festival this year. This organization supports the library by providing funds for events that are outside of the library’s budget.

In addition to the festival, the anniversary will be celebrated with an anniversary reception that will be held on Dec. 10.

Broderick said she wants the 10th anniversary reception to thank the community for helping the library grow over the past ten years.

“Libraries are closing all over the country and we’re thriving,” she said.

Broderick said to her, a library is just as vital to a community as a fire department, police department or school system.

Radovich said she knows some kids who started out at the library just learning to read and are now in high school getting books from the adult section.

“There’s a group that has grown up with this library,” she said.