Ponoka’s Klaglahachie Fine Arts Society is set to bring a festive musical celebration to town on Sunday, December 14, 2025, at Ponoka United Church. The “Holiday Stories” concert will feature the Central Alberta Chamber Orchestra alongside the Red Deer Chamber Singers, offering a program of orchestral music, choral arrangements and narrated visuals for residents across Ponoka County. The Ponoka performance is scheduled for Sunday, Dec. 14 at 2:00 p.m.
The programme includes the world premiere of “A Winter’s Journey,” a new composition by Dr. James Bicigo with lyrics by Dr. Gerri Brightwell, and a narrated performance of The Polar Express (narration by Dr. Robert Mast), weaving a holiday tale through music and story. Vocalists Sharon Braun and David Gibbons will join the ensemble for seasonal favourites and new compositions, aiming to create a family-friendly experience in the church’s acoustically suitable space.
Presented by the Klaglahachie Fine Arts Society, the concert highlights the group’s mission to deliver professional-grade performances to rural Alberta. Music Director Dr. James Bicigo, who recently earned the Mayor’s Recognition Award for Fine and Performing Arts in Red Deer, said he is “thrilled to share this holiday program with our community” (Red Deer Advocate).
As a volunteer-run nonprofit that survived setbacks during the COVID-19 pandemic, Klaglahachie relies on local support to stage events like this one. Ponoka Mayor Kevin Ferguson — who has served as a director of musicals for Klaglahachie — has longstanding ties to the society.
Tickets are available online through Klaglahachie’s website (kfatheatre.com) or through the Ponoka United Church office; local event listings give the church office number as 403-783-4087. The concert rounds out KFA’s 2025 winter arts season and precedes upcoming community theatre productions scheduled for early next year.
