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Norris Cultural Arts Center has announced its fourth annual Baker’s Dozen Holiday Festival will take place exclusively online through Dec. 24. Free to view, the festival is offered as a holiday gift to the community.
Each day on its website and YouTube channel, The Norris will post a new festival video episode of about five minutes in length featuring a local musician, performer or ensemble. All episodes will remain posted throughout the holiday season and into the new year.
Visit norrisculturalarts.com for information and access to the videos.
This year’s festival includes nine new performers and four returning performers from previous years. The lineup includes:
- Dec. 12 - Tatum Langley, jazz vocalist
- Dec. 13 - Lee Murdock, folk singer and composer
- Dec. 14 - Shout Section Big Band
- Dec. 15 - Dr. Paul Gordon, superintendent of St. Charles District 303 schools, reading a Christmas story to Lincoln Elementary kindergarteners.
- Dec. 16 - Hanson String Quartet from the Elgin Youth Symphony Orchestra’s Honors Chamber Ensembles program
- Dec. 17 - Bethlehem Lutheran Sounds of Joy Bell Choir
- Dec. 18 - Jim Perona, classical guitarist
- Dec. 19 - Julia Danielle, jazz vocalist and Jeremy Kahn, jazz pianist
- Dec. 20 - Dan Buck and One of the Boyzz
- Dec. 21 - Clemens Wind Quintet from the Elgin Symphony Orchestra’s Honors Chamber Ensembles program
- Dec. 22 - Jeffrey LaDeur, pianist
- Dec. 23 - Maureen Christine, vocalist
- Dec. 24 - Michael Sherry in “The Essential Christmas Carol”, a unique retelling of Dickens’ holiday classic
The festival derives its name from its origins at Baker Community Center and that its 13 episodes constitute a baker’s dozen. The name is also a variation of the popular construct of The 12 Days of Christmas. This year’s festival will include new episodes recorded at the Baker Center and the Norris Cultural Arts Center.