Independent Arts News Reporting Morven Museum & Garden Announces Festival of Trees Displays and Holiday Programs
Reported on Wednesday, November 11th, 2026.
Pictured Above: Morven Front Festival of Trees 1024×683 Morven Museum & Garden’s Festival of Trees. Photo Credit: Cameron Dunbar, © 2025 Morven Museum & Garden.
NEWSROOM POST: PRINCETON, NEW JERSEY
Plus, All-New Late Nights!
Princeton, NJ — A beloved holiday tradition, Morven Museum & Garden’s Festival of Trees will return on November 18, marking 21 years of the signature special event that adds light, color, and festive cheer throughout the museum’s galleries with decorated trees and mantels.
Seventeen community partners—representing local non-profits, schools, garden clubs, a café, and artists—have been selected by Morven to design trees and mantels. This year’s featured themes include:
-A Whimsical Winter Woodlands, which includes woodland creatures (even a fairy or two) hidden within the tree limbs
-The Flowers of Annis Boudinot Stockton, celebrating the famed gardener and poet
-Setting Sail for Independence, inspired by 18th century tall ships
-A Culinary Christmas, which will include representative vintage baking tools
-The Hearth of Liberty, a mantel recreated from Christmas 1776
-It’s a Wonderful Life in Princeton, celebrating the 80th anniversary of the holiday classic and many more delightful surprises!
Visitors will have the chance to vote for their favorites.
For the first time, the museum and gift shop will be open for extended hours. On Thursday, December 10 and Thursday, December 17, hours are extended to 8 pm! It will be extra merry and magical at the museum, as a glowing fire pit will be radiating warmth, and hot chocolate, warm cider, and lattes will be available for purchase from Brew Note Coffee Co. In addition, the museum and gift shop will be open an extra day on Tuesday, December 22, from 10 am-4 pm, in response to popular demand. Festival of Trees runs November 18, 2026 through January 10, 2027. The museum and gift shop are regularly open Wednesday-Sunday, 10 am-4 pm, and are closed Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and New Year’s Day.
“Festival of Trees is a true reflection of the creativity and generosity of our community,” said Rhonda DiMascio, Executive Director of Morven. “It’s the perfect way to close out our 250th anniversary year. We’re so grateful to the decorators whose artistry transforms Morven into a winter wonderland, and we love welcoming visitors to share in the magic of the season.”
The 17 community partners for Festival of Trees are Chambers Walk Café & Catering, Chapin School, The Garden Club of Princeton, Historical Society of Princeton, JOYCARDS, Junior League of Greater Princeton, Mercer County Library System, Mount Laurel Garden Club, Nottingham Garden Club, The Princeton Festival Guild, Princeton First Aid & Rescue Squad, Princeton Garden Theatre, Princeton Ski and Sail Club; Princeton University Press, Stony Brook Garden Club, Westrick Music Academy, and West Trenton Garden Club.
There is no additional charge for visitors to enjoy the festive displays; museum admission includes Festival of Trees, the permanent exhibition Historic Morven: A Window into America’s Past, the special exhibition Five Independent Souls: The Signers from New Jersey, the special exhibition Northern Family, Southern Ties, and the special exhibition Voices in Print: New Jersey Black Women Printmakers Shaping the American Narrative.
Morven’s gift shop transforms for the holidays, and beginning November 18 will offer special holiday decor for home and garden, thoughtful hostess gifts, and unique presents.
Throughout the winter, enriching programs invite visitors to learn, connect, and create. All include admission to Festival of Trees on the day of the program:
-Holiday Wreath Decorating Workshops (Mon & Tue, Nov 30 & Dec 1): Morven’s horticulturists provide all the materials needed and guide you through the steps to creating a unique holiday wreath.
-Gingerbread House Decorating and Family Night (Wed, Dec 9): decorate a gingerbread house to take home while enjoying holiday music and snacks.
-Miniature Portrait Workshop (Thu, Dec 17): The Princeton Academy of Art will guide you through embellishing and framing a small photograph or print; perfect for gift-giving!
-Caroling with the Choirs (Sun, Dec 20): enjoy a choral performance by Westrick Music Academy, along with cocoa and cookies.
Registration is open at morven.org/events. Details on the full slate of December programs is below.
Pictured Above: Festival of Trees Foyer 1536×2048 Morven Museum & Garden’s Festival of Trees. Photo Credit: 2025 Morven Museum & Garden.
Morven’s signature holiday fundraising event, A Toast to the Season, will take place on Friday, December 4, from 6-8 pm. The outdoor festivities return this year. Guests can gather around glowing firepits while enjoying seasonal drinks and tempting bites, and step inside to explore the enchanting museum, where beautifully decorated trees and mantels created by our community set the tone for the season, accompanied by live holiday piano music. As we bring this historic 250th anniversary year to a festive close, the evening will also feature a menorah lighting marking the first night of Hanukkah. Guests will enjoy a 10% discount in the Museum Shop, which will be open late. Proceeds benefit special exhibitions, educational programming, and the historic preservation of the beloved estate.
Morven is grateful to the corporate sponsors that make Festival of Trees possible. This event is supported by Baxter Construction; Ronica A. Bregenzer, Architect LLC; Callaway Henderson Sotheby’s International Realty; Capital Health; Glenmede; and Schweiger Dermatology Group.
Upcoming Morven Museum Events
Festival of Trees
Morven Museum & Garden’s uplifting annual Festival of Trees returns, transforming the historic mansion’s galleries with an abundance of creative trees and mantels, each uniquely decorated by 17 community partners, representing local non-profits, schools, garden clubs, a café, and artists.
New this year: extra magical Thursday late nights on Dec 10 & 17, complete with a fire pit and hot chocolate, warm cider, and lattes for purchase from Brew Note Coffee Co.
Dates/Times: November 18, 2026 through January 10, 2027, open Wednesday-Sunday from 10 am-4 pm. Open until 8 pm on Thursday, December 10 and Thursday, December 17. Also open on Tuesday, December 22 from 10 am-4 pm. Closed Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and New Year’s Day.
Location: Morven Museum & Garden, 55 Stockton Street, Princeton, NJ 08540
Tickets: Included with museum admission: $15 for adults; $12 for seniors (ages 60+), $10 for youth ages 7-18, students with ID, and active military or veterans with ID. Free for Members and ages 6 & younger.
Reservations: morven.org/festivaloftrees
Festival of Trees: A Toast to the Season Fundraiser
History, community, and creativity come together for a memorable evening filled with warmth and cheer at Morven’s signature holiday fundraising event. Sip seasonal drinks, savor delicious bites, and gather with friends around glowing firepits. Step inside to admire the beautifully decorated trees and mantels throughout the galleries, and enjoy a little holiday shopping in the Museum Shop with 10% off your purchases. Proceeds benefit special exhibitions, educational programming, and the historic preservation of the beloved estate.
Date/Time: Friday, December 4, 2026, 6-8 pm
Location: Morven Museum & Garden, 55 Stockton Street, Princeton, NJ 08540
Tickets: $175 and up
Reservations: morven.org/toast, or contact Megan Shackney, Morven’s Chief Development Officer, at mshackney@morven.org or 609.924.8144 x101.
Holiday Wreath Decorating Workshops
Enjoy light refreshments as you decorate a unique holiday wreath for your home with your choice of ribbon, “bling,” and natural materials (like nuts, dried fruits, flowers, and pinecones). No experience necessary! Morven’s horticulturists will guide you each step of the way. Registration includes admission to the museum’s holiday display Festival of Trees on the day of your workshop. Recommended for ages 12+.
Dates/Times: Mon & Tue, Nov 30 & Dec 1; choose an afternoon session (1-3 pm) or evening session (6-8 pm).
Location: Morven Museum & Garden, 55 Stockton Street, Princeton, NJ 08540
Registration: $65
Reservations: morven.org/events
Gingerbread House Decorating and Family Night
Enjoy festive treats and holiday music while you decorate your own colorful and delicious gingerbread house, complete with gingerbread people to personalize with candy and icing. Make a holiday memory without worrying about the mess! Your creation will have a base for easy transport home. Registration includes admission to Morven’s annual holiday display Festival of Trees before the program.
Date/Time: Wed, Dec 9, 5-7 pm
Location: Morven Museum & Garden, 55 Stockton Street, Princeton, NJ 08540
Registration: $40 family ticket (one gingerbread house and registration for four); $8 individual ticket (does not include gingerbread house)
Reservations: morven.org/events
Pictured Above: Festival of Trees Gallery 1 1024×683 Morven Museum & Garden’s Festival of Trees. Photo Credit: 2025 Morven Museum & Garden.
Miniature Portrait Workshop
Portrait miniatures were popular through the 18th century, and as they were intended as gifts (and even worn as jewelry), wealthy individuals lavishly decorated the settings. Bring a small photo or print (or choose one provided), and The Princeton Academy of Art will guide you through embellishing and framing it. All supplies are included, as well as festive refreshments, including hot cocoa and cookies! Bonus: registration includes admission to Morven’s holiday display Festival of Trees between 5-6 pm the day of the workshop.
Date/Time: Thu, Dec 17, 6-8 pm
Location: Morven Museum & Garden, 55 Stockton Street, Princeton, NJ 08540
Registration: $50
Reservations: morven.org/events
Caroling with the Choirs
Don’t miss Westrick Music Academy’s festive musical stroll! The event begins with exclusive access to explore Morven’s annual holiday display, Festival of Trees. Enjoy a performance by the Princeton Girls and Boys Choirs in the Stockton Education Center and help yourself to hot cocoa and cookies! VIP ticketholders will continue to a nearby home for an intimate caroling experience “Around the Baby Grand Piano,” and enjoy an open bar and appetizers.
Date/Time: Sun, Dec 20, 3:30 pm
Location: Morven Museum & Garden, 55 Stockton Street, Princeton, NJ 08540
Registration: $40 general admission; $100 VIP Experience (ages 15+)
Reservations: morven.org/events
About Morven Museum & Garden:
Located steps from downtown Princeton, NJ, Morven is the only extant house of a New Jersey signer of the Declaration of Independence that is open to the public.
Built in the 1750s for Richard Stockton and his wife, Annis Boudinot Stockton, an early published poet, Morven was home to five generations of the Stockton family and generations of enslaved men and women, as well as immigrant servants. It later became home to the innovative industrialist and humanitarian Robert Wood Johnson, Jr. and served as the state’s first governor’s mansion before becoming a museum in 2004.
Today, we welcome visitors to explore this layered history through permanent and special exhibitions; cultural and educational programs; community events; and historic gardens, the bounty of which is donated to a local mobile food pantry. The museum is open Wednesday – Sunday from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. The gardens are open daily from dawn until dusk.
Learn more about Morven: www.morven.org
