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To request an interview or statement, please contact Wren Aber or call (407) 929-4606. The Gift Christmas Show and Holiday Lights Orlando Come To Lake Eola Park December 2 Orlando residents and visitors are invited to join in the free public event around the Disney Amphitheater beginning at 4:00pm, Friday, December 2, celebrating the kick-off of the Christmas and holiday seasons in downtown Orlando. Highlights of the evening will include Mayor Buddy Dyer lighting Orlando’s official Christmas tree and the annual stage production and festival, The Gift, produced by Trinity Downtown and area church choirs. The official tree lighting will feature Voices of Liberty soloist Debbie Johnson as well as a cadre of heralding trumpets. The Gift will include a massed choir conducted by Composer/Conductor Emeritus of the Walt Disney World Candlelight Procession, Derric Johnson. WESH-Ch2 news anchor Jim Payne will narrate The Gift for the fourth year in a row. The Festival begins with traditional sidewalk foods and Christmas goodies all around the park along Rosalyn Ave. Surprise streetmosphere entertainers will perform throughout the festival featuring all kinds of musical groups from traditional Christmas handbell choirs to Gospel choirs to soloists and vocal quartets. Trinity Lutheran School children will present a traditional children’s Christmas play on stage, under the direction of Music Directors Josh Brink and Lisa Moore. The Gift has been presented
by Trinity Lutheran Downtown annually since 2008 and
is reminiscent of similar annual stage productions joined
by all the major churches in downtown Orlando in the
1990s. It has grown The production always ends with the massed choir on stage joined by the audience singing “Silent Night, Holy Night.” This year, conductor Derric Johnson will broaden the audience participation segment, inviting the 1800 to 2000 guests to share in singing several familiar Christmas carols with words on the huge screen on stage. The charity for 2011 will be IDignity, Inc., which provides a special service to help the homeless of Orlando get their own identity documents needed to help them find employment and get back on their feet. A donation will be taken to support that important community service work. Immediately following The Gift, the audience will be invited to remain seated for a free presentation of the feature motion picture The Grinch Who Stole Christmas, presented by Holiday Lights Orlando. There are approximately 1,000 permanent seats in the amphitheater, but guests are invited to bring lawn chairs or blankets and “camp out” on their own spots on the grassy knoll lakeside. The Gift Festival and Stage Show is produced by Trinity Downtown Productions. Sponsors include Imagesetters and WESH-CH2 TV. Holiday Lights Orlando and The Gift are presented in part by the City of Orlando. The Official Christmas Tree is sponsored in part by Holiday Lights Orlando, Trinity Downtown, Bethany Christian Services, Maxim Crane Co., Sunbelt Rentals, Co., and WKMG-CH6 TV. Typical downtown parking venues
will be available for this special event. In case of
inclement weather conditions, cancellation or an alternate
site location will be posted on the kiosk at the park
by 4:00pm, For Information, Contact: Wren Aber or Kathy Aber Michael Lawrence |
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