Huntsville Christmas Festival features choir, orchestra
- Members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints will present the annual Huntsville Christmas Festival in four seatings on Dec. 10-11. CONTRIBUTED
MADISON – The annual Huntsville Christmas Festival will feature four one-hour concerts and live nativity on Dec. 10-11.
The 80-voice choir and 40-piece orchestra are comprised primarily of members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS) that represent 15 congregations in the Huntsville vicinity, including the Madison ward. The LDS church at 1804 Sparkman Drive NW in Huntsville will host the concerts.
The public is welcomed to the free Christmas musical.
The concert performers invite everyone of all ages to this joyful celebration of the birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, Peggy Sue Unander said. Unander serves as media specialist for the Madison ward.
At the Living Nativity, guests can take an inspirational walk through four indoor scenes during the 30-minute period immediately preceding or following each concert. In the first scene, Roman centurions will guard the gate to the city. Next, humble shepherds will be watching over their flocks.
“You will then stroll through the tent of the Wise Men, resting on their long journey to Bethlehem,” Unander said. “The walk culminates with the Nativity, where you will experience Mary and Joseph caring tenderly for the baby Jesus.”
Choir and orchestra members, along with their directors, volunteer their time and talents to share their testimonies through music. They also regularly volunteer with other church members to sing in their ward (local congregation) choirs, Unander said.
On Dec. 10, the Live Nativity will open at 3:30 p.m. The hour-long concert starts at 4 p.m. After the concert, the nativity will be open from 5 to 5:30 p.m. Again on Dec. 10, the second concert of the day will be presented from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. The nativity scenes will be open from 6 to 6:30 p.m. and again at 7:30 to 8 p.m.
The program schedule on Dec. 11 opens at 3:30 p.m. with the nativity, followed by the concert at 4 p.m. The nativity will re-open after the concert from 5 to 5:30 p.m. The second concert will be presented from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m., with the nativity open 30 minutes before and after the concert.
For reservations, visit huntsvillechristmasfestival.org and click “Concert Reservations.”
