Sold-Out Christmas Festival to Celebrate 'Messiah'

The seventh annual Westmont Christmas Festival, “Messiah,” is sold out for general admission tickets. Tickets to the three shows, which became available Nov. 10, sold out in less than an hour. Tickets to the festival, Dec. 2-3 at 8 p.m. and Sunday, Dec. 4, at 3 p.m. all in First Presbyterian Church, 21 E. Constance Ave., have always been free, but reservations are required. First Presbyterian has a maximum seating capacity of 700.

In response to an expected high demand for Christmas Festival tickets, Westmont is allowing the public to attend the dress rehearsal of the program on Thursday, Dec. 1, at 7:30 p.m. The doors will open for the dress rehearsal at 7:15 p.m., and no reservations are required. Please do not arrive before 7 p.m. if you wish to attend the dress rehearsal. This will be a working rehearsal, but it will be in full, formal attire and will run as seamlessly as possible.

The festival features dramatic readings as well as the college orchestra and choirs performing selections of Handel's "Messiah" and other seasonal musical arrangements. A CD of the music from the show is available for preorder. The CD includes 90 minutes of Christmas music performed by the Westmont College Orchestra, Choir, Men's Chorale and Women's Chorale at the annual festival.