Arlington High School bands directed by John Grabowski will present their winter concert at 7 p.m., Thursday, Dec. 11 at the Byrnes Performing Arts Center, 18821 Crown Ridge Blvd. in Arlington.

They will perform works by composers Gustav Holst and Malcolm Arnold as well as some popular holiday favorites. The three bands consist of 180 student musicians in the all-freshman Concert Band, the Symphonic Band for grades 10 – 12 and the audition only Wind Ensemble for grades 10 – 12. Some of the band members are also involved in the high school’s jazz band programs.

Grabowski is pleased to report that the freshman band is the largest group of band members at AHS in 13 years making it necessary to restructure the band classes. A separate class period for the freshman Concert Band was added.

“It is gratifying that the number of kids interested in pursuing their musical education is increasing,” Grabowski said.

The concert begins at 7 p.m. with BPAC doors opening at 6 p.m.

Tickets are not required, so the seating is first-come, first-served.

For questions contact Liz at 360-631-6985.

Singers help

food banks

Sing from the Heart features community groups singing at all Haggen Food & Pharmacy stores Dec. 12-14. Each hosting store makes a donation of $50 toward the local food bank for each hour a group presents holiday music. Participants include bands, choirs, families or friends. Children’s groups can register for 30-minute performances.

“These local singers and musicians bring to a smile to our faces while also helping those in need this holiday season,” said Becky Skaggs, spokesperson for Haggen stores.

Sing from the Heart will be presented at each Haggen store from 2-7 p.m., Friday, Dec. 12, noon – 7 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 13 and noon –

5 p.m., Sunday, Dec. 14.

Groups must register in advance at the guest services counter of each Haggen store or by calling its neighborhood Haggen store.

Arlington Lutherans sing for Christmas

Our Savior’s Lutheran Church, at 615 E. Highland Dr. in Arlington presents its Christmas concert 7 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 13 and again at 10:30 a.m., Sunday, Dec. 14 during the morning service.

The program will tell the story of Christmas through the choir’s favorite carols accompanied by narration. Director Laurie Breon selects music that features accompaniments by pianist Lynda Thomas and a variety of soloists, including Becca Kostick, who is an eighth-grader at Haller Middle School. Thomas’ son Phillip will join in a four-hand accompaniment in “Hark the Herald Angel Sing” and there will also be trumpet and flute solos and hand bells, too. For information call 360-435-8921.

Community choir presents Messiah

For the first time in the Byrnes Performing Arts Center, Lyle Forde directs the community choir’s performance of Handel’s “Messiah” at 2:30 p.m., Sunday, Dec. 14. The choir director at Arlington High School, Forde presents this opportunity every other year. The community singers will be joined by AHS choral students.

“Participation is open to all,” Forde said. “This is truly a community choir.”

He said that singing the ‘Hallelujah Chorus’ is one of the most thrilling songs to sing. The BPAC is located, at 18821 Crown Ridge Blvd., south of historical downtown Arlington east of SR 9, Gleneagle and Smokey Point. Admission is $5 per person or $15 per family at the door.

For information call Forde at 360-618-6300 ext. 3121 or e-mail to lyle_forde@asd.wednet.edu.

Christmas

at the Floyd

The Stanwood Area Historical Society presents its fourth annual Christmas concert, “The Brightness of this Clear Day” with special guest soprano Linda Tsatsanis, flutist Jeffrey Cohan and harpsichordist George Shangrow.

The program features a mini-cantata which Telemann wrote for this very weekend, the second before Christmas, which will be performed along with Telemann’s cantata for the Sunday following Christmas, with excerpts from the Christmas Oratorio by Johann Sebastian Bach, baroque Noels by J.S. Bach, Dandrieu and Corrette, variations on a German carol by French composer Michel Corrette, and anonymous 18th-century variations on What Child is This.The concert starts at 7 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 13 in the Floyd Norgaard Cultural Center at 27130 102nd Ave. NW in Stanwood.

Holiday refreshments will be served after the concert.

Tickets are $10, both in advance and at the door, and may be purchased at the Snow Goose Book Store at 8617 271st St. NW and at the Stanwood Area Historical Society at 27112 102nd Ave NW. Admission is free for all students 18 and under with an accompanying adult. For information call 360-629-6110.

Lights of Christmas

More than a million Christmas lights will decorate the 300-acre Warm Beach Conference Center with lots of fun events on weekends through December.

Along with the dazzling light displays, there’s also the smell of fresh hot donuts, the holiday sounds of Victorian carolers and singing groups from around Puget Sound.

Gates open at 5 p.m. and close at 10 p.m. each night Dec. 4-7, 11-14, 17-23 and 26-28. Dinner theater is offered Dec. 4-6, 11-13, 18-20 and 22-23.

The dinner theater features a six-course meal and live theater in the Baylight Room, while every Sunday in December features a special dessert matinee finished in time to to enjoy the evening of Lights of Christmas.

Overnight getaways feature comfortable lodgings with a hot breakfast and plenty of time to enjoy all the different events.

For information call 360-652-7575 or see the Web site at warmbeach.com.