Warwick townlively.com
DECEMBER 11, 2024
SERVING THE LOCAL COMMUNITIES SINCE 1954
VOL LXV • NO 40
Christmas concert will whisk listeners away on wings of music BY JEFF FALK
for Christmas.” T h e L i t i t z A re a C o m m u he Lititz Area Community nity Choir, War wick Alumni Choir’s upcoming presen- and Friends will perform “A tation of “A Celtic Christ- Celtic Christmas” at 7 p.m. on mas” promises to be an event Sunday, Dec. 22, at a new venue, worth singing about. Warwick High School’s 1,400“We’re trying to present festive, seat Performing Arts Center, holiday music that is 301 W. Orange St., familiar to audience Lititz. The event m e m b e r s ,” s a i d “There’s a warmth is free to attend, Debbie Kline-Smith, tickets can be that comes from the choir’s director. obtained at the “(The concert) takes door on the night people being them on a journey of the concert and together at a of another style of a freewill offering performance.” music, which is very will be accepted. popular right now. The perforPeople seem to enjoy mance is expected that style of music, and I thought to last about 70 minutes. it would be great to bring a differ“ We’re singing traditional ent style of music to Lititz. We’re Christmas songs with a Celtic doing it in English, but this style flair,” said Kline-Smith. “When of music makes it a different feel the audience walks in, bagpipes for the holidays. I think people will be playing so they get a feel will leave there feeling ready for the music. The order of songs
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Members of the Lititz Area Community Choir perform at a past concert.
grows and builds. There’s an exciting opening number, a very upbeat piece. Then we do something a little lighter. Soloists are scheduled to sing in the middle of the program, and then the choir sings the last three selections, including ‘Auld Lang Syne.’” In addition to the 90-member Lititz Area Community Choir, the concert will feature soloists
Matt Hehnly, Rachel Moury and Lauren Epps, as well as a duet by Gannon Ziegler and Jacob Soslow. The ambiance of the event will be enhanced by the two-bagpipers-one-drum Ceòl Nèamh Pipe Band and the talents of dancers sprinkled throughout. “Singing brings great joy to the people performing and listeners,” said Kline-Smith. “Music brings
people together like no other art form. Sometimes we don’t know what the music is doing for us, but it is definitely doing it. There’s a warmth that comes from people being together at a performance.” Since the middle o f S e p tember, the choir has been rehearsing and practicing at Brunnerville United Methodist Church for 90 minutes each See “A Celtic Christmas” pg 8
BY ADRIAN ESCHENWALD
Lancaster County has a long history of unique traditions and community-centered events. From annual celebrations such as Maize and Snitz Fest in Lampeter and East Petersburg’s Blues Festival to county-wide programs like the Miss Lancaster County pageant, every town contributes to the area’s distinct culture. Many annual traditions have withstood the test of time and continue to be held today, but some events,
such as Spooknacht, have been lost to time. In 2024, few people have ever heard of Spooknacht. But prior to the 1970s, the annual event was highly anticipated by community members, and it involved every school in the county. According to archived photographs and clippings from old newspapers, Spooknacht took place every year around Hallowe en, and the event was organized by the former Lancaster Jaycees. One photograph from LancasterHistory’s See Spooknacht pg 3
Empathy fuels CoJoMotion Dance’s “A Season for Wishes” BY JEFF FALK
Lititz Academy of Dance explores talents. The academy’s CoJoMotion Dance Company develops talents. “A Season for Wishes” provides an opportunity for talents to be combined for greater good. “I hope (the student performers are) learning joy from helping others and taking their God-given talents and doing good for others,” said Lisa Kalinowski, creative director for CoJoMotion Dance Company’s “A Season for Wishes” show and owner of Lititz Academy of Dance. “I think most of us, and children, think they can’t make a See “A Season For Wishes” pg 4
Members of CoJoMotion Dance Company
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Spooknacht, a Lancaster County tradition lost to time