Sights and Sounds of Christmas returns to downtown

• Sights and Sounds of Christmas will spotlight holiday music and local churches.
• The event raises money for the Food Pantry Network of Licking County.

NEWARK - The annual Sights and Sounds of Christmas walk has stayed pretty consistent over the past 14 years.

But organizer Terry Mooney said she still gets excited every December seeing local churches come together.

"It’s a wonderful cooperative event," she said. "We are all very different churches, but we feel like we have a mission to make Christmas traditional and to convey that to the community."

This year's walk kicks off at 6 p.m. Thursday at Second Presbyterian Church, 42 E. Church St. From there, costumed lamplighters will lead groups of participants to seven other downtown churches, where they'll hear holiday music and see Christmas decorations.

"I think the fact that every church is a little bit different makes it so appealing," Mooney said.

After listening to a performance of Second Presbyterian Church's bell choir and organ, participants will listen to music from the adult choir at Trinity AME Church, a performance by the Newark High School band ensemble at Trinity Episcopal Church, and an organ solo and a vocal duet at First Presbyterian Church.

The Crystal City Chorus will perform at Plymouth United Church of Christ, the Jubilate Ringers will be at St. Paul's Evangelical Lutheran, and First United Methodist will have its praise team and sanctuary choir perform.

The evening will end at St. Francis de Sales Catholic Church with a performance from its adult choir, which will include a performance of "The Hallelujah Chorus." Participants will be offered cookies and warm drinks before heading home.

Parking is available in the St. Francis, St. Paul's and the First United Methodist parking lots, as well as the parking lot between Locust, Granville and Fifth streets.

A shuttle will run from that parking lot from 4:45 p.m. until just before 6 p.m. to take participants to Second Presbyterian.

Tickets, which are $5 for adults and children older than age 12, will be sold at participating churches, the Licking County Chamber of Commerce and the Licking County Convention and Visitors Bureau, as well as at the door.

All proceeds from the event will be donated to the Food Pantry Network of Licking County, Mooney said.

The event always seems to help participants get into the Christmas spirit, she said.

"We want to not only invite people into our churches and invite them to come back but we want to help make Christmas what it should be," she said. "The event grows every year, so we must be doing something right."

ajeffries@newarkadvocate.com

740-328-8544

Twitter: @amsjeffries 

If you go

What: Sights and Sounds of Christmas

When: 6 p.m. Thursday

Where: The tour begins at Second Presbyterian Church, 42 E. Church St., and ends at St. Francis de Sales Catholic Church, 40 N. Granville St.

FYI: $5 for adults and children older than age 12. For more information, go to sightsandsoundsofchristmas.org.