The Algoma Festival Choir is looking forward to some major changes to its annual Christmas performance.
The choir will be presenting A Festival of Carols at 2:30 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 30 at The Machine Shop.
It will mark the first time the choir has performed its annual Christmas presentation at The Machine Shop and it will also be the first time its annual Christmas production will take place in the afternoon.
The choir’s Christmas performances were previously held at the Bushplane Museum as an evening event.
“We were at our spring concert at The Machine Shop in May and I told the choir we are performing at The Machine Shop at Christmas and we're also considering going to the afternoon. I asked for a show of hands from the audience and asked who would prefer an afternoon performance versus an evening performance and about 90 per cent of the people put their hand up for the afternoon. So this is driven by our audience,” said Stephen Mallinger, Algoma Festival Choir’s music director.
Mallinger told SooToday that he and his 40 choir members also prefer an afternoon performance.
“It's entirely mutual in every aspect. We're always asking for audience feedback and you often just don't get it. But there I had a captive audience and I asked people ‘what do you think?’ and they all really liked the idea. So it just seemed like a really obvious and good thing to do,” Mallinger added.
The Algoma Festival Choir can be contacted by email.
The full text of an Algoma Festival Choir release follows:
Algoma Festival Choir is pleased to present A Festival of Carols, a choral concert at 2:30 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 30, 2025 at The Machine Shop.
Directed by Stephen Mallinger and accompanied by Michael Connell on piano, this community-based choir of more than 40 singers will perform music by Bob Chilcott, Stephen Chatman and John Rutter, as well as traditional and popular Christmas carols.
A jazz trio consisting of Mark Gough, Martin Virta and Lindsay Pugh will perform before the show and accompany the choir on two Irving Berlin classics, An Irving Berlin Christmas and I’ve Got My Love to Keep Me Warm.
Set against the acoustically stunning backdrop of The Machine Shop, it is the perfect outing for families and music lovers alike.
Tickets are $30 for adults and $10 for children 12 and under.
Tickets are available from choir members, at the door, at the Sault Community Theatre Centre kiosk in Station Mall or online.
Join us for an unforgettable afternoon of music, community, and Christmas spirit!