The concert at St. Paul's in downtown Syracuse is celebrating its 10th anniversary.
Amid shopping for gifts and stringing colorful lights all over houses, there is one seemingly forgotten part of the holiday season: Winter Solstice. Falling on Dec. 21 this year, the Winter Solstice marks the end of the longest night of the year. In Downtown Syracuse, this event is celebrated weeks ahead of time with Solstice at the Cathedral.
This annual event of music and singing kicked off the holiday season this weekend.
Around 6:30 p.m. last evening, crowds of people stood before the steps of Hendricks Chapel in 34 degree weather to see the performances of a number of vocal and musical groups, including the Hendricks Chapel Choir, Syracuse University Singers and the Syracuse University Brass Ensemble. The production was part of the annual Holidays at Hendricks event, which has been an SU holiday tradition for over a decade.
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"Holidays at Hendricks" featured several well-known holiday songs including "O Holy Night," "Hark the Herald Angels Sing" and "Winter Wonderland."
The chapel lights darkened as both choir and audience members held onto lit candlesticks. It was the beginning of the concert’s final song, “Silent Night,” and a favorite of Emily Cirillo.
"The lights are turned out and the chapel glows," said Cirillo, director of the Hendricks Chapel Handbell Ringers. "To me, this is when the holiday season officially begins."