Summit Charter School’s Festival of Trees has become one of the Plateau’s most sparkling expressions of community spirit. It’s a celebration where philanthropy, style, and holiday enchantment come together in support of Summit Charter School.
Since 2021, the event has raised $2.3 million, helping sustain Summit’s tuition-free public charter school model while also extending its impact across the nonprofit community.
On July 28, Toast to the Trees returns as the glamorous summer prelude to the Festival of Trees, setting the tone for the season with all the elegance and imagination guests have come to expect. Hosted by Miranda and Josh Crawford at The Club at High Hampton, this year’s fête – themed “A Midsummer Snowfall” – promises a transporting evening of whimsy and refinement. At Halsted House, guests will step into a dreamscape of luminous whites, winter-inspired details, and festive sophistication, with design by Growing Studio creating a world that feels at once magical and meticulously curated.
The evening’s allure extends well beyond décor. With Moët Hennessy returning as Toast Beverage Sponsor, Cashiers Valley Real Estate as Presenting Sponsor, and an elevated culinary experience from The Club at High Hampton, the celebration is poised to be one of summer’s most coveted invitations. Dueling pianos will carry the night with energy and flair, adding just the right note of revelry to an occasion that balances polished hospitality with heartfelt purpose.
The broader Festival of Trees, set for Nov. 27–28 on Summit’s campus, will once again bring the community together for a Thanksgiving weekend filled with decorated trees and wreaths, children’s activities, holiday shopping, Santa experiences, and festive gatherings including Festival: After Dark.
Guiding the 2026 season are tri-chairs Kat Ford, Mark Rindom, and M.C. Pusch, joined by student ambassadors Rae Bennett and Victoria Clement, whose participation brings a welcome next-generation perspective to the beloved event. Organizers have also announced that beginning in 2027, Festival of Trees will move to a biennial format, preserving the energy and excellence of the main event while allowing Toast to the Trees to continue annually.
That makes this year’s July 28 celebration all the more meaningful: a midsummer evening of beauty and generosity, and a luminous reminder that the Festival of Trees begins long before the holidays arrive.
To join the festive fun, visit summitschool.org or contact Festival Director Melissa Hudson at mhudson@summitschool.org.
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