|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Americas largest Christmas choral festival SARA PATINKIN SPECIAL TO THE MID-COUNTY MEMO
The Grottos 2008 Christmas Festival of Lights concert schedule is completely full. Expected to welcome over 50,000 visitors, this years festival will host 150 musical performances. Featuring over 5,000 total performers during its 33-day run, it is the countrys largest Christmas choral festival.
Choirs enjoy their annual musical experience at The Grotto so much; they often schedule their performance at this premier choral festival six to 10 months in advance. Two Gresham-area high schools, Sam Barlow and Centennial High, have performed 21 and 20 years respectively. Many others have performed for 15 years or more. Continuing nightly through Tuesday, Dec. 30th, The Grottos 21st annual Christmas Festival of Lights has become one of Portlands favorite holiday traditions for many Portland area families and the chapel concerts are consistently a highlight. It always tickles me to see the faces of choir members who come into the chapel for the first time, says The Grottos Brother Gregory Atherton. You can see their eyes widen with amazement when they first hear their voices reverberate around the hall. Each evening features at least four concert performances presented by many of the regions finest choirs and musicians. Performers and performances vary from the strolling Opera Carolers and the 90-member school choirs to Michael Allen Harrison and the Metropolitan Youth Symphony. In addition to the nearly one half-million lights, the festival also presents puppet shows, outdoor caroling, a petting zoo, Christmas skits and hammer dulcimer music. Festivalgoers are asked to bring a canned or dry baby food item in donation for SnowCap Community Charities. Sponsors of the Festival of Lights include K103 FM and the Clear Channel family of radio stations, NECA/IBEW Local 48, Portland Candle, KBVM Catholic Radio Station, Boyd Coffee Company, Sunbelt Rentals and Danna Brothers Elmers Restaurants. A complete concert schedule is listed on page 21 of this months Memo and available on The Grottos Web site, www.thegrotto.org. For more information about The Grottos 21st Annual Christmas Festival of Lights and other events, contact 503-254-7371 or visit www.thegrotto.org. Editors note: Sara Patinkin is director of development at The Grotto.
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
MEMO Advertising | MEMO Archives | MEMO Web Neighbors | MEMO Staff | Home |