Posted by Philip Poole on 2006-11-27

The holiday season begins Nov. 28 at Samford University and continues through December with a series of concerts and other special events celebrating the Christmas season.

The annual Lighting of the Way and Hanging of the Green ceremonies kick off the holiday season Nov. 28. Lighting of the Way is at 7 p.m. along Centennial Walk on the University's Quadrangle. The ceremony includes the lighting of the university's Christmas tree and other campus decorations. A short ceremony, including carol singing, will be held near the entrance to Harwell G. Davis Library.

The Hanging of the Green service at 8 p.m. features university choral and instrumental ensembles and will be led by 14 seniors selected from campus nominations based on academics, leadership, and community and ministry service.

The university's combined choirs and orchestra will be featured in the annual Festival of Christmas Dec. 1 at 7:30 p.m. in the Wright Center Concert Hall. The festival includes a performance of the Christmas operetta "Amahl and the Night Visitors" by Gian Carlo-Menotti. The operetta has become a Christmas tradition at Samford, according to William Bugg, Samford OperaWorks director.

Reserved seat tickets for Festival of Christmas are $10 per person and are available at the Harrison Theatre box office or by calling 205-726-2853. The Wright Center box office will be open Friday prior to the performance.

Delta Omicron, international music fraternity, will present a Christmas concert at 5:30 p.m. Dec. 4 in Jane H. Brock Recital Hall.

The Gospel Choir will present "the Uplifting," its Fall 2006 Concert, at 7 p.m. Dec. 4 in Reid Chapel

The world languages and literature department will present a special holiday chapel service on "Christmas Around the World" Dec. 7 at 10 a.m. in Reid Chapel.

The Samford wind ensemble's annual Christmas concert is Dec. 8 at 7:30 p.m. in Brock Recital Hall.

All events are free unless otherwise noted. For complete details on any event, go to www.samford.edu./calender.html.

Samford's Wright Center is home to the Alabama Ballet, which offers multiple performances of "The Nutcracker" during December. For ballet information, go to www.alabamaballet.org.

 
Samford is a leading Christian university offering undergraduate programs grounded in the liberal arts with an array of nationally recognized graduate and professional schools. Founded in 1841, Samford is the 87th-oldest institution of higher learning in the United States. Samford enrolls 5,791 students from 49 states, Puerto Rico and 16 countries in its 10 academic schools: arts, arts and sciences, business, divinity, education, health professions, law, nursing, pharmacy and public health. Samford fields 17 athletic teams that compete in the tradition-rich Southern Conference and ranks 6th nationally for its Graduation Success Rate among all NCAA Division I schools.