2 holiday events this weekend will raise money for Albion scholarships
Hometown Christmas, Albion Family Christmas Concert highlight local talent
File photos by Tom Rivers: Marcy Downey sings “Baby, It’s Cold Outside” next to a cutout of Dean Martin during last year’s Hometown Christmas.
ALBION – Two events this weekend in Albion will celebrate the Christmas season and also raise funds for Albion scholarships.
On Saturday, there will be three performances of Hometown Christmas at Holy Family Parish’s Lyceum on Main Street.
There will be 19 acts featuring about 80 performers at shows starting at noon, 3 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. There will be singing and dancing in the 90-minute shows that raise money for scholarships in memory of Nicholas Kovaleski.
“We’re blessed with a lot of people contributing time and talents to it,” said Amy Sidari, oner of Gotta Dance by Miss Amy and coordinator of Hometown Holiday.
This is the seventh annual event in memory of Nicholas Kovaleski. He inspired the Albion community with his valiant fight against leukemia. He died at age 15 on June 29, 2011.
The shows on Saturday feature many popular returning performers, including Marcy Downey and Josie Waverly. (Some Albion children will be on stage doing sign language while Waverly sings, “O Holy Night.”) Rachel Curtin, the elementary school principal, also will be back singing.
A new performer for the Hometown Christmas will be Albion senior, Angela Tarricone, singing with chorus teacher Gary Simboli.
Sidari said the 6:30 p.m. show is already sold out but some tickets remain for the 3:30 and noon shows. Call her at 354-2320 for more information.
“People come out and support it year after year,” Sidari said about the turnout.
Joe Sacco is shown during a Christmas Mass in 2013 with Harriette Greaser. They will both be performing on Sunday.
On Sunday, there will be a 3 p.m. concert at the First Presbyterian Church, 29 East State St.
Many familiar faces and a warm welcome home are on the program for “An Albion Family Christmas Concert.” The holiday event, co-sponsored by the Albion High School Alumni Foundation and Albion Courthouse Square Concert Series, will feature a mix of professional and amateur musicians, all connected to Orleans County.
“We have so much talent right here in our hometown,” said concert organizer Maarit Vaga. “For previous Christmas concerts we have hosted musicians from neighboring communities, but this year we decided to pull together a program that we’ve been dreaming about and discussing for a long time: This truly will be an Albion Family Christmas celebration! And we really want families—even with small children—to feel comfortable bringing them. It will be lovely.”
Proceeds benefit scholarships awarded by the Foundation. In fact, many of the performers are alumni or students at Albion High, including: longtime Albionites and Holy Family Parish musicians Joe Sacco and Harriette Greaser; mother and daughter duo Karen Conn and Shannon Vanderlann; brother and sister act Greg Martillotta and Gwen Ferchen; husband and wife Gary and Claudia Deibolt; members of the Mike and Mary Jane Grammatico family; and legendary music and drama teacher Gary Simboli, along with some of his vocal and Mike Thaine’s instrumental student ensembles.
The program will be narrated by Janne Erakare and will include a visit from Cobble the Museum Mouse (representing the nearby Cobblestone Museum). The event will culminate in the annual audience singalong.
Tickets are available at Bloom’s in Albion, a lily and a sparrow in Medina, Roxy’s in Batavia, or online by clicking here.
