A Norfolk County holiday tradition is returning this weekend, giving residents a chance to step back in time and fill one of Canada’s rarest historic churches with the sound of Christmas music.
On Saturday, at 7 p.m., Christ Church Anglican in Vittoria will open its doors for a candlelit Christmas carol sing-along—an annual gathering that blends community, history, and holiday spirit inside a building that predates Confederation.
Trustee James Christison says you really feel the history as you gather to sing festive tunes.
The sing-along will feature a mix of traditional and modern Christmas favourites, with selections for all ages.
Guest musicians include Reverend Leah Arvidsson from the Parish of Long Point Bay on guitar, and Jenn Day of Kammerchor London on baroque trumpet.
Not a singer? That’s fine, Christison says.
Admission is free, though donations to the local food bank are welcome.
While the music will be the highlight of the evening, Christison says it wouldn’t have quite the same impact without the special historic setting that Norfolk is lucky to have.
Norfolk residents have been singing Christmas carols inside Christ Church since the mid-19th century. That sense of continuity is part of what makes the evening so magical.
The chapel is located at 7 Lamport St., Vittoria, with free street parking available.
For more information about Christ Church Anglican and the carol sing-along, visit parishoflongpointbay.com.
Written by Matt Leblanc