"Christmas On Campus" Welcomes Back "Tuba Christmas" Concert On Dec. 10

The holiday season is fast approaching, and Limestone College is already making plans to deck the halls with plenty of festive music.

Limestone’s 32nd annual “Christmas On Campus” event will welcome back the world-renowned “TubaChristmas” concert as part of the festivities on Saturday, Dec. 10, beginning at 7 p.m. The public is invited and admission is FREE.

“TubaChristmas,” making its second straight appearance at Limestone’s holiday event, is a music concert, held in various cities worldwide, celebrating those who play, teach, and compose music for instruments in the tuba family, including the tuba, sousaphone, baritone, and euphonium.

The first “TubaChristmas” was organized by Harvey G. Phillips to honor his tuba teacher William Bell, who was born on Christmas Day 1902. The inaugural concert was held Dec. 22, 1974, in the ice skating rink at New York City's Rockefeller Center. This year, over 175 cities around the world will host “TubaChristmas” concerts.

The performance at Limestone, presented in cooperation with the non-profit Harvey Phillips Foundation, is expected to once again attract musicians from across the state and the region. Including the event at Limestone, only two “TubaChristmas” concerts are scheduled thus far in the state of South Carolina this year. The other will be held in Greenville a week later.

This year’s concert will be conducted and directed by Marshall Kirby, a retired band director from Spartanburg High School. He has also served as the band director at Jonesville High School and Boiling Springs High School. A native of Hickory, NC, Kirby was elected into the South Carolina Band Directors Hall of Fame in 1997.

“TubaChristmas” will take place on the front campus and will include the lighting of the Limestone Christmas tree by President Dr. Walt Griffin, reciting of “The Christmas Story,” photo opportunities with Bernie the Limestone mascot, and a chance to visit with Santa Claus and Mrs. Claus.

The annual luminaries will be lit at 5 p.m. They will be placed on the front campus, and portions of College Drive and other areas near the College.

“We are so excited to bring back ‘TubaChristmas’ to our wonderful event that welcomes the entire community to our campus for Christmas,” said Limestone Alumni Coordinator Paula Richards. “This event is a great way to start the Christmas season, and we encourage everyone to come out and celebrate the holidays with us.”

Drinks and snacks will be available during “Christmas On Campus.”

The tradition of celebrating Christmas on Campus dates back to 1984 when the late Les Gregory, a former employee and graduate of Limestone, arranged for 200 luminaries to be lit in honor of retired Limestone College professor Lucy G. Wheeler. With that, Christmas on Campus was born. 

Since Gregory's inception, the luminaries have grown to over 10,000 candles and Christmas on Campus has evolved into one of the most anticipated nights of the year at the College, Richards said.