Frequently Asked Questions

General Information

  • The Downriver Holiday Tree Walk is a new community holiday tradition presented by JOeY Foundation in partnership with the City of Gibraltar. Approximately 150 beautifully lighted trees will create a special place for families, friends, businesses, and our community to gather throughout the holiday season.

    Many of the trees will be decorated in remembrance of someone special—filling the walk with stories, memories, light, love, and a little holiday JOeY.

  • The event takes place at the Gibraltar Community Park.

  • The Downriver Holiday Tree Walk will be open December 12, 2026 through January 1, 2027.

    Visit our Schedule Page for Tree Walk hours, Opening Night festivities, family tree decorating times, decoration pick-up, volunteer opportunities, and other special activities.

  • Tree reservations will open in August 2026 and continue until all available trees have been reserved.

    Families, friends, businesses, and organizations are invited to participate. With a limited number of trees available for our first year, we encourage you to reserve yours early.

    Visit our Memorial Trees page for details and registration.

  • Each reservation includes a fresh-cut 5–6 ft. holiday tree, securely staked and strung with 300 lights, along with a personalized remembrance sign honoring the person you are remembering.

    Decorating your tree is optional—but we hope you’ll make it part of the experience! Gather family and friends, share some stories, bring some food, and make decorating your tree a new tradition.

  • Business Sponsor recognition is included with Business Tree Sponsorship. Business names will appear on the provided sign; logos and additional advertising signage may not be placed around the tree.

    All advertising and signage must comply with City of Gibraltar requirements.

  • Absolutely! Business Tree Sponsors are encouraged to decorate their trees and add a little holiday personality.

    The same decorating and lighting guidelines apply to both Business Trees and Family Remembrance Trees. Please see our Tree Decorating Guidelines for complete information.

  • See our Schedule Page for dates and times allowed for decorations.

    Decorations should be weather-resistant, securely attached, and appropriate for an outdoor community display. Zip ties or other secure fasteners are recommended to help decorations withstand Michigan winter weather.

    Please remember that JOeY Foundation and the City of Gibraltar cannot be responsible for decorations that are lost, damaged, or affected by weather.

  • No. To ensure consistency, safety, proper placement, and lighting throughout the Tree Walk, all trees displayed as part of the event must be reserved through JOeY Foundation.

  • Sponsors are welcome to add their own decorations within the public decoration timeframe. No plugin ornaments or lights other than those provided by the event organizers are allowed due to safety requirements.

  • No, you may not add additional lights to the tree or any other battery operated items.

Tree Sponsorship and Decoration

  • Our Schedule Page contains all current information.

  • Absolutely! Volunteers are needed for setup, decoration assistance, lighting at night, and takedown. Please complete this form for volunteer opportunities

  • The City of Gibraltar will:

    • Provide police patrol

    • Assist with park maintenance (trash, bathrooms, etc.)

  • Every fresh-cut tree is naturally a little different—and we think that's part of their charm!

    Trees will be numbered and assigned in advance, so we are unable to exchange trees or move remembrance signs to another tree. Please do not move or relocate any tree signs.

Setup, Volunteers, Event Support

  • JOeY Foundation will provide and install 300 lights on every tree before family and business decorating begins.

  • No. Please do not add lights of any kind, including plug-in or battery-operated lights, to your tree. This allows us to safely and consistently manage the lighting throughout the Tree Walk.

  • Each tree will have three strands of 100 lights. The lights are battery-operated and controlled remotely, with white as the standard Tree Walk color.

    While some lighting settings may be adjusted during special events, the lights may automatically return to white when restarted. With approximately 150 trees to care for each evening, we aren't able to customize or reset the color of individual trees each day.

Lighting and Power

  • Yes. All activities must comply with the City of Gibraltar Park Rules (see attached). This includes regulations on decorations, noise, electricity, and use of public space.  Signage and advertising must comply with City Zoning. Event guidelines also prohibit logos on the ground signs.

Regulations

  • Public restrooms in the park are normally closed during the winter months. Please check our Schedule of Events for information about restroom availability during special Tree Walk events.

  • Yes. Trash receptacles will be available at designated locations throughout the Tree Walk. Please help us keep the green space beautiful for everyone.

  • The Tree Walk follows the paved sidewalks connecting the community centers. We are working closely with the City of Gibraltar to make the event as welcoming and accessible as possible.  There is handicap parking near both community centers.  There is a smooth transition between the parking lot and the path which will be plowed as needed. This is an outdoor event and can be slippery.

Amenities and Accessibility

  • The Tree Walk is an outdoor winter event and will generally remain open through typical Michigan winter weather.

    If severe weather affects Opening Night, another special event, or the safety of the Tree Walk, updates will be shared on the website and JOeY Foundation social media.

  • Leashed pets are welcome in accordance with City of Gibraltar park rules. Please clean up after your pet and make sure pets do not disturb trees, decorations, or other displays.

  • Yes, once the event concludes on January 1, there will be a period where the tree sponsors will need to remove their decorations, followed by a period JOeY Foundation and volunteers will take down trees, event displays, and clean up the park. The Schedule Page contains all current information.

  • No. Please leave all lights on the tree. JOeY Foundation will collect and store the lights for future Tree Walks.

  • After families and businesses have had an opportunity to collect their decorations, our volunteers and community partners will begin the final Tree Walk clean-up.

    Trees and lights will be removed, the green space will be cleaned, and reusable decorations and supplies will be carefully packed away—ready to bring the Tree Walk back to life in 2027!

Weather, Safety, Clean-Up

Still Have a Question?

We know we've covered a lot—and because this is our first year, there may be a question we haven't thought of yet!

Please check our Schedule Page and Tree Decorating Guidelines for additional information. If you still can't find what you need, send a message to leann@joeyfoundation.org.

We're happy to help—and grateful that you're helping us create this beautiful new Downriver tradition.