Come be dazzled. Be wrapped in the aroma of fir trees and the warmth of the holidays.

The eighth annual Big Brothers Big Sisters of Island County Festival of Trees will be held at the Oak Harbor Elks Lodge Friday and Saturday.

“It’s our way of being able to support the agency while also putting on an event that is highly regarded by the community and looked forward to each year,” said Peggy Dyer, executive director of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Island County.

The festival begins Friday with a sold out black-tie gala auction. Attendees will bid on the dozen 7-foot tall Noble firs, two table top trees, eight wreaths and two garlands that are festively decorated and on display for everyone’s enjoyment this weekend, but will soon find homes with auction winners.

The trees are decorated in various styles from elegant motifs like “Razzle Dazzle,” a tree decorated in “rich reds and dazzling pink ornaments with loads of whimsy,” to fun creations like “It’s a Kids’ World” which plays with clowns and everything Barnum & Bailey.

“They are all lovely when displayed together but they are all also unique and beautiful on their own,” said Mollie Brunner, event co-chair and eight-year Big Brothers Big Sisters volunteer.

If people want to bring the whimsy and fun of decorating a tree home, Brunner said decorations will be available for purchase throughout the weekend. Most of the decorations come from years past when space ran out on the trees.

“They’re all great, we just had too many,” she said.

While the black-tie gala auction event Friday night is sold out there is still plenty of opportunity to enjoy the trees. Tickets remain available for the popular Teddy Bear Breakfast Saturday morning. There will be seatings of the breakfast at 9 and 10:30 a.m. Enjoy a comfy winter breakfast set in the splendor of the decorated trees. Join the Teddy Bear Parade and bring a bear to be donated to island agencies that help children in emergencies. Frosty and Santa will be there to delight the kids.

If you can’t make it to the breakfast, the public is more than welcome to come enjoy the trees and stroll through the Elks Lodge during the community afternoon hours 1 to 5 p.m. Saturday.

“Groups from nursing homes have been known to stop by and we just want to extend the offer to anyone who’d enjoy these beautiful trees,” Dyer said.

The festival of trees weekend of events helps raise around $70,000 for Big Brothers Big Sisters programs, according to Dyer.

“That’s a substantial part of our budget and supports service programs that help a lot of kids each year,” she said.

Tickets for the Teddy Bear Breakfast are $10, $5 for children 12 and under, available at Alaska USA Mortgage, Big Brothers Big Sisters, Discount Party Store and Brenda’s Front Porch. For information call the North Whidbey office at 279-0644.