WEYBURN – The Christmas season in Weyburn for many residents started with the Carol Festival, hosted for the first time by the Weyburn Rotary Club on Sunday at Grace United Church.
There were two performances, at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m., with several community groups and choirs taking part and sharing the music of Christmas.
“It’s really exciting that we’re back to two performances,” said Heather Sidloski, organizer of the festival with the Weyburn Rotary Club, formerly with the Quota Club and emcee for both performances.
The prelude for the afternoon and evening, and accompaniment for “Silent Night”, was played by Colleen Weimer on organ, Brayden Jensen on piano and former Weyburn resident Cheryl Thorson, playing the vibraphone.
The afternoon featured singer Lexi Mainil, and groups from Wheatland Community Church, the Zion Lutheran worship group, St. Vincent de Paul’s junior choir, as well as Legacy Park’s Grade 4 choir, and the Grace United Church’s Chancel Choir.
In the evening, Jean Fahlman read the Christmas story, and groups included the Spirit Singers and Spirit of Grace, both directed by Kendra Gonczy; and from the Weyburn Comprehensive School there were performances by the RISE Choir, and the WCS Senior Choir, directed by Holly Butz, along with the Variations community choir, directed by Colleen Weimer.
The Weyburn Rotary Club sang at both the afternoon and evening performances, and both times finished in the traditional way, with the singing of “Silent Night” by everyone present.
This was a special occasion as the Rotary Club hosted the event for the first time, after the Weyburn Quota Club organized and hosted it for the first 68 years. The Quota Club disbanded last year, and made a special presentation to Rotary club president Jill Thorn at the afternoon performance.
