By Emily Miller
REXBURG — Traditions are important to a community, and the Rexburg Cultural Arts Department is hoping their inaugural community Christmas concert will be the start of what will, one day, be a cherished community tradition.
“Joy to the World: A Community Christmas Concert” will be presented Monday, Dec. 5, from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at the Romance Theater at 2 East Main Street in Rexburg. Admission is free, but donations of canned goods and paper products (plates, napkins, cups, etc.) are encouraged to benefit the Family Crisis Center.
Rexburg Arts Music and Theatre Specialist Kaatia Larsen says there will be a mix of traditional Christmas music, including “It Came Upon a Midnight Clear,” “Sleigh Ride,” and “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas,” and lesser-known songs such as “Let Him In,” and “Chocolate In My Stocking.”
“Some songs are upbeat and will make you want to dance in the aisles, while others are moving pieces that will touch you deep down in your heart,” Larsen says. “There is an incredible variety of acts — everything from family bands to a cappella groups to professional soloists to instrumentals. We’ve worked hard to put together a great event that you can bring the whole family to.”
Larsen says Rexburg Arts wanted to draw on the abundant musical talent of the city’s residents and offer them an opportunity to be part of something special.
“We have a wealth of musical talent here, with more people moving in all the time,” Larsen says. “By creating a community Christmas concert, my hope was to provide a way for many different people from all over Rexburg — both young and old, students and non-students, and everyone in between — to come together for a traditional, merry Christmas event. It gives multiple people a chance to share their talents and hundreds of people a chance to come listen and feel the magical spirit of the season.
“Many of the performers have said that they love this idea because they don’t have to be attending a local school or theatre group or choir in order to be considered for this concert,” she continued. “They appreciate the opportunity to be included simply because they live here and want to contribute to this special night. It is a gift to the community.”
Open auditions for the concert were held in October, and performers have been working behind the scenes since then to put on a memorable program, Larsen says.
Doors open at 6:30, and Larsen encourages all who would like to attend to arrive early to find parking and get the best seat in what is expected to be a well-attended event. Street parking is available near the theater, but once those are filled, attendees can look for parking in the lot north of Gringo’s, south of the Paramount Theater, east of Beehive Credit Union, and in the city lot between the Rexburg Police Station and City Hall.
Larsen is excited to partner with the Family Crisis Center for this event, which she hopes will fill up the center’s food reserves. She says the center feeds about 300 families each month and that the donations will be appreciated.
