Upcoming Christmas Tree Bonfire
Upcoming Christmas Tree Bonfire
Ellicottville Distillery Invites You to Get Rid of Your Old Trees During an Evening Out
The holidays are behind us, it’s 2024 and now it’s time to clean up the leftover debris from the festivities… starting with that Christmas tree you haven’t taken down yet! (Don’t act all shy about it; I admit mine is still up too.) You could toss it out into your backyard and let it slowly decay over the next few months, or you could do something fun with the remains. Here’s an option: bring it to 5462 Robbins Road in Ellicottville on Saturday, January 20th for the return of Ellicottville Distillery’s Annual Christmas Tree Bonfire.
Yes, you can byoctc (bring your own Christmas tree corpse) to the Distillery and add it to the wood pile, then enjoy some delicious cocktails while it goes up in flames (around 6:00pm). Sounds like a good time, right? ellicottvilleNOW reached out to Bryan and Renee Scharf, owners of Ellicottville Distillery, to ask what everyone else is probably wondering… “What’s the story behind this?”
HOW IT ALL BEGAN
“We used to do the real Christmas tree thing every year. And then when we were done with it, we didn’t want to just leave it laying in the backyard. So, we started dragging it out to the big firepit we had back there and set it ablaze. Then we got to thinking… how many other people wish they could do that, too?”
Of course, a lot of people don’t have the luxury of just dragging things out back and lighting them on fire. (Hard to explain to your neighbor 5 feet away that you didn’t mean to burn down their garage.) And the Distillery wanted to expand their winter events anyhow. Renee said, “We don’t typically have a lot of activities once the snow starts flying. So what started as a conversation about hosting a nice winter bonfire turned into inviting everyone who wants to bring their used-up Christmas trees and tossing them onto the stack. It’s been a hit ever since!”
The number of trees brought to the Distillery increases every year, with last year being their biggest showing yet - approximately 60 trees! People can either drop off their trees when they are done with them or they can call the Distillery and one of their staff will come out to pick them up. There is the option of hauling trees out the day of the fire but they prefer to have them ahead of time so that the pile is ready to burn.
MORE THAN JUST A BONFIRE
And don’t think this is just driving out, grabbing a beverage and watching branches get crispy. There’s more to add to the fun! Live entertainment will play from 5:00p-8:00pm. Local favorites, Kody and Herren, will be rocking the stage with their multi-instrumental harmonies. The duo, based out of Springville, NY, are inspired by roots music with a motto of “Music + Adventure + Food + Dogs = Happiness” and always aim to entertain their audiences. They have released their 15-song debut album, “Till The Sun Will Rise”, which you can purchase for download on their website, kodyandherren.com.
You’ll also be able to snack on some lovely hors d’oeuvres throughout the day and enjoy a special hot beverage to keep those hands nice and warm before the fire is lit. (Go ahead, make a whole day of it… the Distillery opens at noon that day!)
Following the bonfire, the Distillery plans to take a little “event break” for a bit. “We are pretty low-key for the winter months,” Renee said, “so we’re going to pause and have some much needed family down time. The Distillery will still remain open during its regular hours, but hosting any extra fun will be on hold.”
LOOKING AHEAD
Renee did tell us that they are looking ahead at 2024’s events. In the works: a new St. Patty’s Day gathering, adding in another Leek Fest-type activity come spring. And of course, they’re always working on setting up their big Distilled and Chilled Music Festival line-up for August, as well as their annual golf tournament to support Oishei Children’s Hospital, their Pig Roast, Motorcycle Showcase and more.
Keep up-to-date on January 20th’s bonfire and other events by following the Ellicottville Distillery on Facebook or go to their webpage at ellicottvilledistillery.com.