Norris Produces 4th Annual Online ‘Baker’s Dozen Holiday Festival'

St. Charles, December 1 – The Norris Cultural Arts Center presents its Fourth Annual Baker’s Dozen Holiday Festival starting December 12 and running exclusively online through December 24. Free to view, the festival is offered by The Norris as a holiday season gift to the community.

Each day on its website and YouTube channel, The Norris will post a new festival video episode (typically five minutes in length), featuring a popular local musician, performer or ensemble. All episodes will remain posted throughout the Christmas season and into the New Year. Visit www.NorrisCulturalArts.com for information and access to the videos.

This year’s festival includes nine new performances and four “Encore” episodes from previous years.

· December 12 – Tatum Langley, jazz vocalist

· December 13 – Lee Murdock, folk singer and composer

· December 14 – Shout Section Big Band – Encore performance from previous festival

· December 15 – Dr. Paul Gordon, Superintendent of St. Charles District 303 schools, reading a Christmas story to the kindergarten class at Lincoln Elementary School

· December 16 – Hanson String Quartet from the Elgin Youth Symphony Orchestras Honors Chamber Ensembles program

· December 17 – Bethlehem Lutheran Sounds of Joy Bell Choir – Encore performance from previous festival

· December 18 – Jim Perona, classical guitarist

· December 19 – Julia Danielle, jazz vocalist, and Jeremy Kahn, jazz pianist

· December 20 – Dan Buck and One of the Boyzz – Encore performance from previous festival

· December 21 – Clemens Wind Quintet from the Elgin Youth Symphony Orchestras Honors Chamber Ensembles program

· December 22 – Jeffrey LaDeur, pianist

· December 23 – Maureen Christine, vocalist – Encore performance from previous festival

· December 24 – Michael Sherry in “The Essential Christmas Carol,” a unique retelling of Dickens’ holiday classic

The Norris launched the first festival in December 2020 to provide performance opportunities to local performers who had been denied access to their audience during the pandemic, and to offer fresh entertainment to the public who likewise was affected by pandemic restrictions. The festival proved popular enough to continue after pandemic restrictions were removed.

The festival derives its name from the fact that it was produced and recorded at the Baker Community Center, and that its 13 episodes constitute a “baker’s dozen.” This year’s festival includes new episodes recorded at the Baker Center and the Norris Cultural Arts Center.

For the fourth consecutive year, the festival is sponsored by Mike Corbett Edward Jones, St. Charles.