Gualala Arts Promoting public interest and participation in the arts since 1961
A Christmas Eve tradition returns to the coast again this year, following a two-year hiatus caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. The Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols will again be presented at the Gualala Arts Center’s Coleman Auditorium on Christmas Eve, Saturday, December 24, 2022 from 5:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. Admission is free.
During this annual community event, Luminaries will light the way in from the Gualala Arts parking lot, and the stage in the Coleman Auditorium will be decorated for the holidays with greenery, flowers and a Christmas star. The audience will join in singing the nine carols, all old favorites familiar to many. Interspersed with the carols, clergy and readers representing most of the coast faith communities share Bible passages that tell the Christmas story. Sue Bohlin provides musical accompaniment and directs a special choral piece.
The Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols follows the format offered since 1918 at King’s College Chapel in Cambridge, England. The Festival was introduced to bring a more imaginative approach to worship, and is accessible and inviting to people of all ages and backgrounds.
Seating is limited and quickly fills up, so plan to arrive early. Donations are welcomed, and those received will go to support the South Coast Crisis Aid. These donations are the primary source of funding for emergency food and fuel vouchers distributed by local clergy and Action Network.