The Moose Jaw Rotary Club’s annual Carol Festival has returned for a three-night run this year at Zion United Church.
“There’s a variety of groups performing a variety of Christmas carols. We have had some strings groups, some instrumental groups, and some choir groups — church choirs, seniors’s choirs, and school choirs,” said Gord Stewart, the event’s organizer.
The Rotary Carol Festival, which enters its third night of the year Wednesday, has been a Moose Jaw tradition for many years, Stewart said, noting that it began in 1945.
The Rotary Club became involved with it two years later in 1947, he said, and has carried on the tradition for the 65 years hence.
“It might be one of the longest running annual events to happen in this church, and it’s definitely a long-running community event,” said Stewart.
He added that, though the number of nights of caroling has sometimes differed from the usual three, it generally remains constant at three nights of caroling year to year.
According to Stewart, student groups play a particularly large role in the Festival.
“Each night, we have a high school perform... student choirs are a big part of it,” he said.
Stewart said that the Vanier Collegiate choir had performed on Monday, Peacock Collegiate's choir on Tuesday, and Central Collegiate's choir would perform Wednesday.
In total, nine groups will have performed on Monday and Wednesday, and ten on Tuesday.
Moose Javians interested in gathering to listen to carols performed by various choirs and bands can attend the final night of the Festival Wednesday at 7p.m.
All are welcome, and a collection is asked for by the rotary club during each night. All proceeds from the Festival’s three nights go to the Rotary Club’s community service programs.
