Various campus departments and organizations will host holiday events throughout December.
ATTENTION: Due to inclement weather warnings for Friday and Saturday (Dec. 7-8) Weihnachtsfest and the 40th Annual Candlelight at the Ranch have been rescheduled. Updated dates are listed below.
Several Texas Tech University groups are hosting events throughout December to help the campus and Lubbock communities celebrate the holiday season. Below are some of the events.
Carillon Concert
- 6:30 p.m. Friday (Nov. 30), West Tower of the Administration Building
- Hosted by the Residence Halls Association
- School of Music retired associate professor Thomas Hughes, associate professor Peter Martens and a group of music students will perform the carillon concert prior to the 60th annual Carol of Lights.
Contact: D'aun Green, (806) 834-5813 or d.green@ttu.edu
Carol of Lights
- 7 p.m. Friday (Nov. 30), Memorial Circle, Engineering Key and the Science Quad
- Hosted by the Residence Halls Association
- The 60th annual Carol of Lights marks the beginning of the holiday season on the Texas Tech campus. Raider Red, the Masked Rider, the Saddle Tramps Torch Light Processional and the High Riders will begin the ceremony at the university seal at the Broadway entrance to campus and follow the luminaria-lighted route around Memorial Circle to the Science Quad. The ceremony also will feature the Texas Tech Trombone Choir and the Texas Tech University Combined Choirs. College of Media & Communication associate professor and outgoing president and CEO of the Texas Tech Alumni AssociationBill Dean will assist with the lighting of the lights, a reprise of a role he filled at the first ceremony as a student. Lights will be turned on every day from dusk to midnight from Nov. 30 through Jan. 1, 2019.
Contact: D'aun Green, (806) 834-5813 or d.green@ttu.edu
Carol Concert
- 8 p.m. Friday (Nov. 30), Hemmle Recital Hall
- Hosted by Texas Tech School of Music, part of the J.T. & Margaret Talkington College of Visual & Performing Arts
- The Texas Tech Matador Singers, University Choir, University Singers and the Women's Chorale will sing carols, winter songs and holiday songs to help get everyone into the holiday season. Audience members will also be invited to join the choirs in singing some well-known carols. Following the concert, hot chocolate, wassail and cookies will be served. Admission is $10 for adults and $5 for seniors and children 18 and younger. Students with a valid TTU ID get in free. Tickets for the concert can be purchased online or at the door one hour before the concert.
Contact: Alicia Caicedo-Cavazos, (806) 834-6734 or alicia.caicedo-cavazos@ttu.edu
Junior Rough Riders Winter Corral
- 1-3 p.m. Saturday (Dec. 1), National Ranching Heritage Center, 3121 Fourth St.
- Hosted by the National Ranching Heritage Center
- Four times a year, the National Ranching Heritage Center hosts a Saturday activity designed exclusively for children ages 5-12. At the Winter Corral, Santa Claus will read to children before they decorate Christmas cookies and make ornaments. The event is free for Ranching Heritage Association members and $5 for non-members. Register for the Winter Corral online.
Contact: Shelby Schwartz, (806) 834-1225 or shelby.schwartz@ttu.edu
Holiday at the Museum
- 2-4 p.m. Saturday (Dec. 1), Museum of Texas Tech University
- Hosted by The Museum of Texas Tech University
- Join the Museum of Texas Tech University for cookies, crafts, music, pictures with Santa, planetarium shows and much more to bring in holiday cheer. Music will be provided by Christopher Smith, professor of musicology and director of the Vernacular Music Center, and members of the Vernacular Music Center Ensembles. All activities are free and open to the public.
Contact: Jill Hoffman, (806) 742-2432 or jill.hoffman@ttu.edu
The Lubbock Chorale Holiday Pops Concert
- 7:30 p.m. Saturday (Dec. 1), Lubbock Memorial Civic Center
- The Lubbock Chorale and Lubbock Symphony Orchestra will present the Christmas and nativity portion of Handel's "Messiah" featuring the "Hallelujah Chorus." For tickets, call (806) 770-2000 or purchase Holiday Pops concert tickets online.
For more information: Visit the Lubbock Chorale homepage or call (806) 778-4980
Symphonic Band Holiday Concert
- 7:30 p.m. Sunday (Dec. 2), Hemmle Recital Hall
- Hosted by the School of Music
- The Texas Tech Symphonic Band will celebrate the holidays with a night of wintery selections like "Russian Christmas Music" by Alfred Reed, "Ave Maria" by Franz Beibl and more. The concert is free and open to the public.
Contact: Eric Allen, (806) 834-6361 or eric.m.allen@ttu.edu
Weihnachtsfest
- 5:30-7 p.m. Dec. 14, International Cultural Center, 601 Indiana Ave.
- Hosted by the Office of International Affairs in collaboration with the National Ranching Heritage Center, Classical & Modern Languages & Literatures and the J.T. & Margaret Talkington College of Visual & Performing Arts
- Experience German Christmas traditions including music, crafts, gingerbread cookies and sausage prior to the Candlelight at the Ranch. The first 25 people in attendance will receive a ticket for free hot chocolate redeemable during Candlelight at the Ranch.
Contact: Kelley Coleman, (806) 742-3667 or kelley.coleman@ttu.edu
40th Annual Candlelight at the Ranch
- 6:30-9 p.m. Dec. 14 and 15, National Ranching Heritage Center, 3121 Fourth St
- Hosted by the National Ranching Heritage Center
- Visitors to Candlelight at the Ranch will step into a "living Christmas card" as volunteer Ranch Hosts dress in period-appropriate clothing and recreate Christmas scenes in 15 historic structures dating from the 1780s to the 1950s. Santa will be available for pictures in the Pitchfork Pavilion. Admission is free, but a donation of $5 per family is suggested. Enjoy an early entrance and reserved parking from 6-6:30 p.m. by purchasing a VIP ticket online for $75 per carload with a maximum of eight people.
Contact: Sue Jones, (806) 834-2646 or sue.jones@ttu.edu
TubaChristmas
- 3 p.m. Dec. 9, Helen DeVitt Jones Sculpture Court at the Museum of Texas Tech University
- Hosted by the School of Music and the Museum of Texas Tech University
- Carols specially arranged for low brass ensembles will be performed collaboratively by students and community members. Tuba, euphonium, baritone and sousaphone players of all ages and abilities are invited to perform. Rehearsal and registration information for Tuba Christmas is available online. The concert is free and open to the public.
Contact: Kevin Wass, (806) 834-8374 or kevin.wass@ttu.edu
Midwinter Tales: Music and Dance for the Solstice Season
- 5:30 p.m. Dec. 15, Museum of Texas Tech University
- Hosted by the Vernacular Music Center, the J.T. & Margaret Talkington College of Visual & Performing Arts, the Caprock Celtic Association and the Roots Music Institute
- "Midwinter Tales" is a magical, immersive, participatory, costumed event celebrating holiday music, dance and song from many traditions. Singers, players, dancers, storytellers and more will perform traditional repertoires of the season. Featured artists include the Caprock English Bagpipe Consort, Mariachi Los Matadores, Caprock Morris, the Brothers Grimm, Balfolk Lubbock and the Elegant Savages Orchestra. Admission is free for children 12 and younger and students with a valid college ID. For others interested in attending, there is a suggested donation of $5. All funds raised benefit the Vernacular Music Center Scholarship at Texas Tech.
Contact: Christopher J. Smith, (806) 834-2775 or christopher.smith@ttu.edu
