by Noella Noelophile®
(Royalty-free image by Frauke Riether from Pixabay.)
The sounds of Christmas. The taste of Christmas. And the general spirit of celebration and giving.
All of the above will be center stage in Long Beach on Sunday, December 11th. This is a special free celebration–and you’re invited!
But the time to make your reservations, is now.
The event in question? The annual free “Joy to the World” Christmas concert, organized by community activist and “Chief Inspiration Officer” Justin Rudd, and his nonprofit Community Action Team.
(Royalty-free image by congerdesign from Pixabay.)
This event is a crowd-pleaser: 25 professional brass and percussion players from Southern California Brass Consortium, playing in the beautifully-decorated Bay Shore Church, in Belmont Shore. The 90-minute “Joy to the World” concert “sells out” every year, and is a favorite tradition for a number of local families.
Here’s the link to register, which you might like to do today.
If you attend, please bring a Christmas gift with you: peanut butter, breakfast cereal, boxes of macaroni and cheese, and/or canned fruit that will be donated to a local food bank, or packs of mens’ socks for donation to agencies serving the homeless. .
In excellent “taste”
(Royalty-free image by Silvia from Pixabay.)
Oh, and did I mention the cookies?
That’s an added plus.
The 10th Annual Long Beach Bake-Off and Christmas Cookie Contest will be judged during the concert–and attendees are invited to sample the delicious entries at a “tasting reception” afterwards!
Now–are you a baker? Would you like to enter, and whip up your favorite recipe for them to enjoy?
According to Justin’s webpage, entrants are invited to submit their favorite all-homebaked goods (no mixes, please, we’re talking about from-scratch!) at the church by four that afternoon. At least 24 cookies, cupcakes, brownies etc. are requested from each participant. Entry is free–here’s the link for information.
(Royalty-free image by ivabalk from Pixabay.)
Winners will be announced after the concert. If you win, you get $50 to donate to your favorite charity. Plus, as the webpage says, “bragging rights”.
And if you don’t win?
You’ve won anyway. You’ve just shared the spirit of Christmas with a great community, heard top-notch musicians performed and put smiles on a lot of faces.