The event featured performances by the Santa Monica High School Orchestra and musician Jason Pelsey, as well as appearances by local police officers
A holiday festival held Sunday at the Fairmont Miramar Hotel & Bungalows drew hundreds of residents and resulted in thousands of pounds of donations for local charities, organizers said.
The annual “Meet Me Under the Fig Tree” event took place beneath the hotel’s historic Moreton Bay fig tree and included live music, children’s activities and a food and clothing drive benefiting the Westside Food Bank and the nonprofit Chrysalis.
According to organizers, attendees donated about 2,800 pounds of nonperishable food, along with hundreds of clothing items and toys. More than $475 was also raised to support local assistance programs.
The event featured performances by the Santa Monica High School Orchestra and musician Jason Pelsey, as well as appearances by local police officers and firefighters. Families posed for photos with Santa, while children participated in crafts, cookie decorating and other activities. Several local restaurants provided food, and animal rescue group Wags & Walks hosted pet adoption opportunities.
Organizers said the event has been held for more than a decade and has collected nearly 100,000 pounds of food over that time.
