Sweet Briar College celebrates season with annual tree lighting, Vespers and Holiday Pops

Three popular events will again ring in the holiday season at Sweet Briar College. Festivities begin at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 28, with the annual Christmas Tree Lighting in the Quad, followed on Sunday, Dec. 2, with Holiday Pops at 6 p.m. and Vespers at 7 p.m. in Memorial Chapel.

As is tradition, the Christmas Tree Lighting will see students, faculty and staff gathered in the Quad to sing carols surrounded by members of the Riding Council — accompanied by festively decorated Sweet Briar horses.

Those off campus can watch the action live on the Sweet Briar College Now and Forever Facebook page.

The Sweet Tones will lead Holiday Pops, a popular sing-a-long featuring favorite holiday songs, followed by Vespers, the traditional community lessons-and-carols service. Both events are sponsored by the Office of Student Life.

Other upcoming events include a concert by the new student ensemble Daisy’s Harp at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 28, in Pannell Gallery, the Sweet Tones Winter Concert at 7 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 9, and a fall choreography showing of the dance program’s choreography classes at 7 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 13, in the Upper Dance Studio in the Babcock Fine Arts Center. Daisy’s Harp will present excerpts from “Einstein on the Beach,” an opera by American minimalist composer Philip Glass. The Sweet Tones’ Winter Concert will feature songs the a cappella group has worked on all semester.

All events are free and open to the public. For more information, visit sbc.edu/featured-events.