The Rotary Carol Festival has three evenings of beloved Christmas music ready to perform from Dec. 9 to 11, with each song brought to life by local voices.
The festival will feature around 25 different musical groups from around Moose Jaw this year, said Rotary Club member Susan Hanna, and each one is sure to light up the room at the festival’s traditional venue, Zion United Church.
The majority of the groups who will be performing are choirs, both from around the community as well as from the schools in the city, but there will be an appearance from the Moose Jaw Community Band and perhaps a string quartet.
Each of the three shows will focus on carols and Christmas music, with a different lineup of groups each night because there are so many interested in participating.
Hanna is looking forward to the three-day festival, as it’s a beloved tradition to get into the Christmas spirit while also raise some money for the Rotary Club.
“Everybody knows the Christmas carols and likes them,” said Hanna. “We even have like a sing song. As the groups are changing, we have a choir leader that sings or leads the audience and they sing Christmas carols.”
Admission will be collected at the door, as a donation of any amount. All the funds raised will be used by the Rotary Club to support the programs they operate here in Moose Jaw, like the Rotary Track Club, or organizations of their choice, like the Moose Jaw Food Bank or The Salvation Army.
The Carol Festival began in 1945 as a night featuring all of the school choirs. Shortly after it began, the Rotary Club began offering their help with the Festival. In 1975, the Rotary Club took over organizing it entirely.
The Carol Festival is celebrating its 75th annual show this year, making it the longest running community event at Zion United Church.
Hanna encourages people to come out to one of the evenings of music, to enjoy the talent from here in Moose Jaw and experience the Festival itself.
“The music is really great, and Zion's got such beautiful acoustic sound. It really is a nice evening,” said Hanna.
The show will start each night at 7 p.m.
