SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) - The Springfield Boys and Girls Club kicked off the holiday season with their annual Festival of Trees on Friday. This event has been a beloved tradition for 24 years and continues to bring joy and holiday cheer to all who attend. "It's great we come every year, we are really excited to come the day it opens because it sort of a nice way to kick off the Christmas season," said Kim Landrey of Agawam. A ribbon cutting with Mayor Domenic Sarno marked the start of the Springfield Boys and Girls Club's annual Festival of Trees. It was a magical forest inside the MassMutual Center as the event showcased over 130 decorated trees. The trees were all created by businesses or families in the area. "I actually won a tree a couple of years ago so hoping to repeat that this year because that's always a great part of it when you get that phone call you are the winner," expressed Sarah Landrey. Raffle tickets can be purchased for $10 dollars from now until December 15th. Each tree along this festive path isn't just decorated, it's also full of prizes, like gift cards and certificates for sporting and entertainment events, and a bunch of other offerings. From after-school programs to sports and art classes, the money raised from the Festival of Trees will directly benefit the children and families who rely on the club's services. "There's always fun going on at the boys and Girls Club and that's what the Festival of trees supports a place where kids can go have fun, make friends, make memories," said the Executive Director of Springfield Boys & Girls Club, Vincent Borello. As part of the event, participants will be able to take pictures with Santa, enjoy live music, and watch a magician perform. The winner of each tree will be notified after the festival is over. They will be able to take home all of the decorations, including the prizes, some of which are worth thousands of dollars each. Already,14 different awards went to several local businesses for their trees, and the People Choice award winner will be announced on December 15th. Local News Headlines Run Like Kat 5K honors Katarina Bokovic’s legacy Springfield Boys and Girls Club kick off holiday season with their annual Festival of Trees Police identify Northampton man found in Connecticut River Suspect in 1978 West Side murders to face arraignment WWLP-22News, an NBC affiliate, began broadcasting in March 1953 to provide local news, network, syndicated, and local programming to western Massachusetts. Watch the 22News Digital Edition weekdays at 4 p.m. on WWLP.com.