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Christmas Festival events celebrate the season

By David Gonnerman '90
December 1, 2009

Thousands of visitors will come to St. Olaf this week to see more than 500 student musicians perform in the 2009 Christmas Festival, "Light of All Creation ... Scatter the Darkness." First held in 1912, the Festival is one of the oldest musical celebrations of Christmas in the United States.

The Dec. 3-6 Christmas Festival performances are ticketed, but Minnesota Public Radio will broadcast the Sunday afternoon concert and provide an online audio stream. In addition to the four concerts, a number of campus events will be open to everyone, including Scandinavian buffets, book signings, a tuba concert, and Sunday worship.

Scandinavian buffet
Enjoy delicacies ranging from lefse and lutefisk to julekake and rømmegrøt at one of two Scandinavian buffets that will be available on campus. One buffet will be held in the Black and Gold Ballroom on the third floor of Buntrock Commons Thursday, Friday, and Saturday 4-7 p.m., and Sunday noon-3 p.m. The price is $22.50 per person ($11 per child age 10 and under).

The second buffet will be available alongside the normal student cafeteria meal in Stav Hall on the third floor of Buntrock Commons Thursday, Friday, and Saturday 4-7 p.m., and Sunday 10:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. The price is $18 per person ($9 per child age 10 and under). No reservations are required for either buffet.

(Watch a "behind-the-scenes" video about last year's buffets.)

Book signings
A number of authors will be signing their books in the St. Olaf Bookstore this weekend, including Betty Vos Hemstad, author of Wildflowers of the Boundary Waters; Peg Meier, author of Bring Warm Clothes: Letters and Photos from Minnesota's Past; and Beatrice Ojakangas, author of Petite Sweets: Bite-Size Desserts to Satisfy Every Sweet Tooth and The Best Casserole Cookbook Ever. More information about these and other authors is available from the bookstore.

Voice, brass, and worship
The St. Olaf Collegiate Chorale, a women's ensemble open to students, faculty, and staff that is conducted by Anton Armstrong '78, will share music of the season during daily chapel Friday at 10:10 a.m. The service will be streamed live and archived online.

A festive concert featuring 60-80 tubas and euphoniums/baritones from the region will include some of the most popular pieces of Christmas music. The performance begins Saturday at 3 p.m. in the Buntrock Commons Crossroads.

All are welcome to attend the St. Olaf worship service Sunday at 10:30 a.m. in Boe Chapel. The St. Olaf Band will provide music.

Check the St. Olaf calendar for more information about these and other events.

Contact David Gonnerman at 507-786-3315 or gonnermd@stolaf.edu.