Christmas is a time for families and many people will be coming home to Troy and Pike County during the holiday season.

With that in mind, Richard Metzger, Troy-Pike Cultural Arts Center executive director, said the Christmas Tree Extravaganza at the Johnson Center for the Arts will be open for viewing through the end of December with the exception of Christmas Day and Sundays.

“We want to invite our residents and their guests to visit the Johnson Center during the holidays and enjoy this wonderful exhibit of Christmas trees and the Janice and Conrad Ross and Printology exhibits on display as well. This is a good time for out-of-town guests to visit the Johnson Center, perhaps, for the first time. As always, there is no admission charge.”

This is the second year for the Christmas Tree Extravaganza, which is a Johnson Center tradition going forward.

“The exhibition provides financial support to the Center and beautifully decorated Christmas trees for the community to admire and enjoy,” Metzger said. “This year, we have 10 trees on exhibit with a wide variety of decorations.”

Terra Cotta Home and Outdoor Market donated the trees to the Johnson Center last year and assumes the responsibility of putting the trees up, taking them down and storing them between seasons.

“Terra Cotta also decorates the 20-foot tree with natural materials each year,” Metzger said. “We have wonderful partners for our annual Christmas Tree Extravaganza. Also sponsoring trees this year are CGI, Horn Beverage, Brundidge Lions Club, On the Square Antiques, Troy University Alumni Club, Mary Holman Johnson, OCAP and the Pike County sixth grade Indian Education Class and Troy Cable Vision. We also have one tree that has an anonymous sponsor.”

The response to the Christmas Tree Extravaganza has been very good and, with a few more days to enjoy the exhibit before it comes down Jan. 2, more visitors are expected.

“But, without our sponsors this exhibit would not be possible,” Metzger said. “Because of the generosity of these sponsors, we are able to offer exhibitions like this one at no admission charge.

“Sponsorships, donations, memberships and fundraisers are keep the doors open and the lights on and we appreciate all of the support that we get throughout the year.”

The Johnson Center for the Arts has an outstanding lineup of exhibitions for 2010.

Metzger and his staff are looking forward to the New Year with great expectations for another successful year at the Johnson Center for the Arts.

The Johnson Center for the Arts is located at 300 East Walnut Street in downtown Troy. Hours are 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. Admission is free and all exhibitions are open to the public.