Santa will be at the World of Energy from 10 a.m. until 11:30 a.m., Saturday, Nov. 30.
UPSTATE — Duke Energy’s World of Energy education center is gearing up for its annual Festival of Trees display and voting contest with a canned food drive to support Oconee County feeding programs.
Now through December, the public is encouraged to drop off canned goods at the World of Energy during normal business hours (10 a.m.-4 p.m., Wednesday-Friday) to support the Duke Energy Foundation’s monthlong campaign to fight hunger in South Carolina. Canned goods will be used to build a canned food tree as part of the Festival of Trees, and all collected items will be donated to food banks and feeding programs in Oconee County at the end of the festival.
Anyone who brings in canned goods will receive a free reusable grocery bag.
The Festival of Trees display and voting contest begins Nov. 27 and continues through Jan. 10. The event is free and open to the public during normal business hours (Wednesday-Friday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.). Beautifully decorated trees will be on display in the World of Energy lobby – each tree is decorated by local businesses, civic organizations and nonprofits.
The three trees with the most votes will receive $2,500, $1,500 and $1,000, respectively, for their selected nonprofit.
In 2023, Grace’s Closet received $2,500, Tamassee DAR School received $1,500 and Clemson PAW Partners received $1,000. Over the past decade, Duke Energy has donated a total of nearly $40,000 to local nonprofits through its Festival of Trees program.
Santa will be at the World of Energy from 10 a.m. until 11:30 a.m., Saturday, Nov. 30. Guests can bring their own cameras and snap a photo. The Festival of Trees will also be open from 10-11:30 a.m. that Saturday only.
The World of Energy is also a Toys for Tots drop-off location.