Visitors to downtown Akron’s Holidayfest
- - the Chriskindl Market and the city’s new ice rink at Lock 3 this weekend - - will
have a chance to hear authentic songs of the German Christmas season as performed by the
city of Chemnitz (Germany) Brass Band.The Chemnitz Brass Band will
perform at Akron's Lock 3 Park Friday, December 10 through Sunday, December 12. Midday
shows are scheduled each day together with a 5:30pm evening performance Friday and
Saturday that will feature the arrival of "Father Christmas," better known to 21st
century youngsters as Santa Claus.
Ages of band members range from 8 to 29. Under the direction of Mathias Becker, they
have won many awards at national and international competition through out Europe. At the
end of each year, the band plays an annual New Year concert for the parents of band
members, the city of Chemnitz, and the larger community in the state of Saxony.
The Band performance times at Lock 3 Park are:
| Friday, December 10 |
11:30am |
12:15pm |
5:30pm |
| Saturday, December 11 |
1:00pm |
3:00pm |
5:30pm |
| Sunday, December 12 |
1:00pm |
5:30pm |
|
The ensemble, supported by the City of Chemnitz, formed in 1978. Each
member of the band actually makes a financial contribution to the operation of the band
each month. The organization makes special provisions for single-parent families or where
a parent may be unemployed. The band provides instruments, instruction and uniforms.
A Booster Club was created in 1995 to promote sponsorship of the band, and as a sign of
the former East German city’s emergence into a market economy, private business
donated enough money to buy the band all new percussion equipment.
While there are 50 active members of the Chemnitz Brass Band, 10 are traveling to Akron
at the expense of the city of Chemnitz to perform as part of the German Chriskindl Market
at Lock 3. The City of Akron, with support from the downtown hospitality industry, will
provide room and meals for the band over the four days they are in Akron.
Holidayfest, a joint venture between the Akron Civic Theatre and the City of
Akron with support from the Downtown Akron Partnership and the Akron-Summit Convention
& Visitors Bureau, has brought 20 craftsmen from Akron’s sister city of Chemnitz,
Germany to a new German Village at Lock 3 park. Public skating is offered at no admission
cost. Skaters can rent equipment for $2. Last Saturday, December 4, skaters rented 1,500
pairs of skates, and for the weekend of December 2-5, more than 10,000 people enjoyed the Holidayfest
activities.
