COEUR d’ALENE — Dr. Charlie Gates looked sharp in his black and white tux Saturday evening, but he admitted it’s not something he usually wears.

“I own a tuxedo, and there’s only two times a year I wear it,” he said. “One is at the Festival of Trees and the other is at the Hospice festival in February. I do wear my tux twice a year, and this is one of them, year after year.”

Gates, of Coeur d’Alene, and his wife, Sarah, have been attending the annual Festival of Trees Gala since it began.

In the festival’s 26 years, the couple has only missed one.

“It’s a reunion,” Sarah said. “It’s just a really special event.”

New this year was a red carpet and photo station at the entrance of the gala, which took place in the bays of The Coeur d’Alene Resort. Coeur d’Alene’s finest looked fly and fancy as they posed for photos, creating lasting memories of an evening that glittered with goodwill and twinkled with holiday cheer.

“I think the energy was good with the start of the VIP entrance to set the mood, with the music, photos, and then there was champagne and hors d’oeuvres,” said gala chairperson Christa Deadmarsh of Coeur d’Alene.

The walls of the gala were lined with nearly 40 lavishly decorated Christmas trees, themes ranging from Seahawks to summertime to cozy to magical. More than 400 guests had opportunities to bid on the arboreal beauties, which came with much more than just the trees. The entries were accompanied by gifts and goodies of all sizes and prices, including gift certificates, furniture, handmade items, vacation packages, artwork and much more.

“I enjoy seeing it come together and the money being raised and people celebrating the season for the hospital,” Deadmarsh said.

While she and 50 volunteers spent all day Saturday preparing the bays for the gala, Deadmarsh said the evening had been in the works for several months.

“All my family is here because they are my volunteers,” she said. “My family and my friends are my volunteers.”

The gala is an annual Festival of Trees fundraising event for Kootenai Health Foundation to support expansions, updates, projects and services conducted by the hospital. Last year’s festival raised more than $351,000 for women’s and children’s services. The 2014 beneficiary is the Kootenai Health Expansion, Phase I. It includes a three-story, 100,000 square-foot expansion of the hospital, which is currently under construction and set to open in spring 2016. It will be the largest continuous expansion in the hospital’s history, continuing with Phase II which will add to the main operating room and emergency department.

Total money raised from this year’s event won’t be known until January, Deadmarsh said.

Aside from bidding on trees during an exciting live auction, guests could bid on silent auction items as well as participate in the gala raffle.

The evening was merry with fine dining, wine, evening wear and camaraderie, and guests were able to kick up their heels and dance until midnight.

“I love this event,” Deadmarsh said. “It’s raising money for a good cause.”