A Christmas tradition of gathering with friends and family to join harmoniously in chorus is set for Tuesday.
The Allen Park Women's Club will host the sixth annual Community Carol Sing at 6 p.m. at the Allen Park Pavilion. Guests will be able to enjoy carols, led by the Madrigal Singers under the direction of Norm Lydell, around a blazing fire.
According to Gladys Peterson, women's club publicity, the Madrigal Singers are a selected group of performers from the Jamestown High School a cappella group.
Article Photos
Carolers are pictured at the 2011 Allen?Park Women’s Club’s Community Carol?Sing. The Madrigal singers will lead the Carol Sing under the direction of Norm Lydell. The annual event will be held Tuesday.
Submitted photo
The singers perform many times during the Christmas season around Jamestown and are a part of the a cappella Vesper services held at the First Lutheran Church on Sunday and Sunday, Dec. 16, at 4 p.m.
Lydell, the director of the Madrigal Singers, is also the director of the a cappella group and head of the Music Department at the Jamestown high School.
The Madrigal Singers will lead participants in the familiar carols of Christmas such as: "Oh Come All Ye Faithful," "Silent Night," "It Came upon a Midnight Clear," "O Little Town of Bethlehem," and some secular Christmas songs such as "Jingle Bells" and "We wish you a merry Christmas."
"In l942, the Allen Park Women's Club created the annual event, which took place on Christmas Eve," said Peterson. "As many as 500 city residents would gather at the intersection of Cole Avenue and West Virginia Boulevard to sing carols, along with a trumpet. Betty Weakland Bixby, pastor of the Weakland Chapel, lead the Carol Sing around a large bonfire. The purpose of the sing was to keep the home fires burning until the the soldiers from World war II came home.
The Carol Sing continued the program until the mid-1960s, and it remained inactive until the Allen Park Women's Club decided to revive the old tradition in 2007.
"We want to give back to the Community a gift of an old tradition," said Peterson. "And, to have everyone share in an old-fashioned sing with hot chocolate and cookies served in the Pavilion. This is something the whole family can enjoy the Christmas Season with their children and carry on the tradition with their children and grandchildren."
Santa will arrive at 6:30 p.m. by sleigh and will give children little candy canes from his bag. While guests wait for him to arrive, they can enjoy the Allen Park swings, make angels in the snow and enjoy the atmosphere of the park during the wintery season.
"We hope everyone who comes remembers our soldiers who are fighting today for our freedom so that we can continue to have these neighborhood sing-a-longs," said Peterson. "Also, to start a new tradition for families to celebrate with their children, and to renew old and new friendships."
The committee for the evening includes: Cindy DiNapoli, chairwoman; Candy Joslyn, Carol Winterburn and Shannon Neubauer.
The Allen Park women's Club donated cookies, fudge and Santa's sleigh. And, Tim Hortons donated hot chocolate. The event is free of charge.