"TubaChristmas" Joins Christmas On Campus Festivities

Limestone College’s 31st annual “Christmas On Campus” event will sound a lot different in 2015.

That’s because the College will welcome the world-renowned “TubaChristmas” concert as part of the festivities on Saturday, Dec. 5, beginning at 7 p.m.

“TubaChristmas” 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. Over 300 musicians played that day, and a holiday tradition was started. This year, nearly 200 “TubaChristmas” concerts will be held around the world.

The concert at Limestone, presented in cooperation with the non-profit Harvey Phillips Foundation, is expected to attract musicians from across the state and the region. Including the event at Limestone, only four “TubaChristmas” concerts are scheduled in South Carolina this year. The other three will be held in Charleston, Greenville, and Newberry.

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

The event at Limestone is being held in conjunction with the City of Gaffney’s “A Classic Christmas Weekend” that also includes events on Friday, Dec. 4, and Sunday, Dec. 6. The Mayor’s official tree lighting ceremony will be held downtown on Dec. 4 at 6 p.m., followed by “Christmas On Limestone” until 9 p.m. The Gaffney Christmas Parade will be held downtown on Dec. 6 at 3 p.m. For more information on those activities, please visit www.getintogaffney.com.

“We are so excited to bring ‘TubaChristmas’ to an already wonderful event that welcomes the entire community to our campus for Christmas,” said Limestone Alumni Coordinator Paula Richards. “Limestone is very fortunate to host one of the “TubaChristmas’ concerts, and we appreciate our music department working so hard to make this happen. This event is a great way to celebrate the beginning of the Christmas season.”

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.

CHRISTMAS ON CAMPUS SCHEDULE:

5 p.m.: Lighting of the Luminaries

7 p.m.-8 p.m.: TubaChristmas