The month of December is one of the busiest times for Colonial Williamsburg, as visitors come from around the country (and around the world) to see my town gussied up for Christmas. The “Grand Illumination” takes place over three successive weekends in December (this year it’s on December 3/4, 10/11, and 17/18, with events spread over Friday/Saturday/Sunday of each weekend) and attracts thousands of visitors. Most local residents avoid the historic area in Colonial Williamsburg on these weekends because of the crowds.
But there’s more going on in Williamsburg this month, and I want to tell you how our local newspaper covers these other events.
Before I give you a run-down on upcoming events in my town, I want to tell you one of the advantages of living in a college town which is also a haven for (fairly affluent) retirees and a hub for tourism. Williamsburg offers the amenities associated with a bigger city but maintains the accessibility of a small town. We can go to most of the following events without worrying about how to get there, where to park, or how much time it will take to make our way through traffic to get there or get home. All of the events in Williamsburg are less than 15 minutes from my house. The events in Richmond, Newport News, or Norfolk take more planning than the local ones.
Williamsburg Symphony Orchestra
Saturday and Sunday, December 3 and 4: Holiday Pops Concert at Williamsburg Presbyterian Church on Richmond Road, just across the street from the campus.
Music at William and Mary
These concerts are all at the Sadler Center on Campus.
Saturday, December 3: three choral groups will offer a winter choral concert, Sacred Drama
Wednesday, December 7: W&M Wind Ensemble’s winter concert, featuring works by Holst along with holiday favorites from The Nutcracker, Greensleeves, and Sleigh Ride
Saturday, December 10: W&M Orchestra’s fall concert. Featured works include Brahms’ Hungarian Dance No. 5, Debussy’s Petite Suite, Puccini’s Intermezzo from ‘Manon Lescaut’ and Rimsky-Korsakov’s Christmas Eve Suite.
December 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 9, 10, 12, 15, 16, 17, 19, 22, 24, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31: Historic Organ Recitals in the Wren Chapel at the college. 10:00 am each day
Ewell Concert Series
Saturday, December 3: Concert in the Ewell Recital Hall on campus, featuring pianis Maria Yefimova, W&M lecturer of piano. Her performance will be a combination of playing and lecturing on works by Scriabin, including Nocturne for the left hand along, Sonata No. 4, and Vers la Flamme. Admission is free.
Cantori Choral Ensemble
Sunday, December 4 and December 11: This 14-voice choral ensemble offers its Christmas concert at the Walnut Hills Baptist Church on the 4th and at Abington Episcopal Church in Gloucester County on the 11th. The program will feature carols both familiar and less so, several of them sung a cappella. The rest will be accompanied by a string quarter, keyboard, and percussion. Highlights include several works by John Rutter.
Virginia Symphony Orchestra
Thursday, December 8 at Newport News’ Ferguson Center: Holiday Pops Concert, with its traditional songs and carols
Wednesday, December 14, at St. Bede Catholic Church in Williamsburg, the Holiday Brass will be in concert.
Friday, December 16: First Baptist Church, Newport News. The VSO Symphony and Chorus will offer Handel’s Messiah.
Williamsburg Players
December 9, 10, 15, 16, 17, and 18: A Christmas Carol, in the Hubbard Lane theater in Williamsburg
Virginia Arts Festival
The Vienna Boys Choir returns to Hampton Roads with three events.
Sunday, December 11: Concert at Richmond’s First Baptist Church
Monday, December 12: Concert at Norfolk’s Harrison Opera House
Tuesday, December 13: The concert at St. Bede Catholic Church in Williamsburg is sold out.
Williamsburg Choral Guild
Sunday, December 18: Ev’ry Valley program at King of Glory Lutheran Church on Longhill Road in Williamsburg. The program will include holiday favorites, including Handel’s Messiah (part I), John Rutter’s What Sweeter Music” and That’s What I want for Christmas. Members of the Virginia Symphony Orchestra will supply accompaniment.
Institute for Dance
Saturday, December 10 and Sunday, December 11: Christmas Dreams program presented at the Kimball Theater on Williamsburg’s Merchants Square. Features more than 50 students from the Institute.
Virginia Regional Ballet
Saturday, December 17 and Sunday, December 18: Full-length production of The Nutcracker at Christopher Newport’s Ferguson Center in Newport News. The performance will be danced to music by the Williamsburg Symphony Orchestra. Singers from the Jamestown High School choir in Williamsburg will supply vocals.
Bruton Parish Music
Just about every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday in December (with an occasional Friday in the mix), Candlelight Concerts take place in Williamsburg’s Bruton Parish Church on Duke of Gloucester Street. The concerts are free and open to the public. Here’s a link to the list of all of these concerts. https://irp.cdn-website.com/fb6544d9/files/uploaded/DECEMBER%20CANDLELIGHT%20CONCERT%20SCHEDULE%20-%202.pdf
So if you want to avoid the crowds of the Grand Illumination weekends in Williamsburg, there are plenty of ways to enjoy my town during December. Come on down! I’ll buy you a glass of wine.
That's a lot of beautiful music!